


Changing Fates

by Sable4456



Category: Naruto, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Crossover, Epic, F/M, Gen, Long, Time Skips, Vampires, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-15 08:43:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 30,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4600251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sable4456/pseuds/Sable4456
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Please read description for more info on the AU!) Join Team 7 as they dive into another world of adventure unlike any they've seen. Legends of the mysterious Syndorian vampires lead them into their biggest trouble yet. Cultists, grisly transformation, forgotten bloodlines and...A small town filled with vampires and werewolves? Non-romance focus, AU, mild to graphic gore</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cultists?

AN: **Alrighty so first thing's first. As everyone should know, this fanfiction is taking place in a sort of headcanon of mine that says that the hidden villages are actually VERY hidden, using jutsu and the like to protect their way of life from the outside world (our world) as they go about what they do. This of course doesn't fit completely into the canon story and world but I thought it could make sense for a crossover such as this one and it might be interesting to play out. I have a lot of this story written already so expect a lot coming very soon. Also note that this story is going to be very...odd in a lot of ways. It includes quite a few characters/history/plots that I made myself, like the Syndorian vampires but it's a lot of fun and I hope you guys enjoy it too! Also note that Sasuke is going to be the 'main' character in the story but there is going to be plenty of other character involvement and PoV switches so no worries!**

 

"Naruto watch your step!" Sakura whispered sternly.

"Sorry it's just so dark in here. It's hard to see." Naruto whispered back.

"Guys, at least try to be quiet." Sasuke whispered crossly.

"You two fight all the time...and it's usually over nothing." Sakura defended.

Sasuke sighed as he always did.

The mission Tsunade had sent them on was to explore the depths of a cavern recently discovered by scouts traversing the forests surrounding the village. Some of the more distant ones, where it was rumored Konoha's 'influences' weren't as strong. The limits of the village's safety before outside dangers, including enemy ninja could be lurking. So far there was nothing but rock and darkness. Sasuke listened carefully to their surroundings, always prepared for any attack or trap as they delved inside, looking over his shoulder warily a moment as he thought he felt a strange movement of air behind him. It was just a breeze against the entrance above though. Sakura tried to be attentive but Naruto's antics were always a distraction to her in these stressful situations. As for Naruto, he seemed a little more scatterbrained than usual today which almost always spelled trouble.. Sasuke had to develop his own form of immunity to their distractions when the team's chemistry shifted like this from he and Naruto's usual butting of heads. It was times like this he felt sorry for Sakura having to deal with such things... But despite it all, they had developed in to a functioning team that had survived many things that they shouldn't have thus far. They weren't worried, even if Kakashi wasn't here.

After many hours of walking through corridors and dead ends, they came to the end of a suspicious hallway, carrying an air of danger about it as the darkness of this place seemed to only deepen.

"Check for traps." Sakura whispered urgently to them. Bravely, Naruto stepped forward. Nothing happened.

"Okay, I think it's safe." He whispered. Sakura's eyes went wide in a livid manner before she followed after Naruto.

"That's not how you check for traps unless you have a death wish, Naruto!" Sakura sounded worried more than anything despite her heated tone. Sasuke followed more cautiously, knowing Naruto was often wrong about these types of things. Just when it seemed this cavern was a singular path...it suddenly forked. Into three paths. Of course...

"What now?" Naruto said a little loudly and covered his mouth before Sakura could hit him. His voice bounced off of a few walls but faded quickly.

"Should we split up?" She suggested the obvious in a whisper, still glaring at Naruto.

"I don't know..." Sasuke said dully, looking between the hallway and his friends. He didn't like the idea, but this place could have been completely empty.

"I think we should, and then we can search this place a lot more thoroughly, faster?" Naruto offered. Sakura nodded in agreement. Sasuke nodded after a moment, still looking thoughtfully at the three entrances. Might as well give it a try...

"Okay, I call middle!" Naruto said and ran through the middle hallway. Sakura looked at Sasuke with a small smile, though still clearly worried. This place didn't seem all too dangerous, if not completely abandoned; but splitting up could change that in a moment. They both knew that.

"Which one?" she asked him. Sasuke eyed both of them. As he looked...a haunting whisper came from the direction of the rightmost entrance. He blinked, glancing to Sakura but she just stared patiently at him like she hadn't heard anything.

"Right." Sasuke said. Probably best he didn't say he heard voices for now.

Sakura nodded and hurried down the left hallway. "Just yell if something happens, okay?" She called back. Furious when she wanted to be, but ultimately caring and worried in the end...that was Sakura. Though horribly annoying at first, Sasuke couldn't deny she'd started to grow on him a little since the Chunin exams...even if it didn't matter, really. Sasuke, overwhelmed with curiosity now, walked into the right entrance where the eerie whispers became numerous. They crossed over each other making a long whispered moan. It bugged him; now to see where it was coming from.

/

Several minutes later, Naruto emerged from the mouth of the middle entrance, eyes wide in the low light.

"Guys?" he whispered.

"Naruto, over here" Sakura whispered back. She was sitting at the mouth of her hallway with a silver necklace clutched in her hand.

"What's that?" Naruto asked, leaning down to see it. He was unimpressed mostly, he'd never cared for trinkets but maybe it was important?

"A necklace. It was all I could find other than what looked like supplies?" She answered softly, looking down at it too.

"Yeah, mine was a dead end too. I found some cool statues though." Naruto motioned towards his hallway. "This dog one glowed when I touched it but nothing happened after that...Kinda weird, I guess?" He shrugged. "Didn't see anything else so I headed back."

"Hm, that might mean something Naruto, I would still be careful. It might have triggered a trap..." She said this slowly, looking Naruto over in concern. He seemed to be fine.

"Whatever, nothing's happened. Where's Sasuke?" Naruto said a little worry in his voice.

"He went in there." Sakura said and pointed to Sasuke's hallway. "If they're all dead ends, he should be back any minute now..."

"Well he better hurry, I want to get out of here." Naruto said. Sasuke cleared his throat and Naruto and Sakura looked back towards his hallway. Both glanced speechlessly at the arrow through his lower leg before he spoke.

"Traps." He sighed. "You should come see this." His expression was very serious.

"Uh shouldn't-!" Naruto began. Sasuke didn't usually act this way.

"-No, I'm fine…" Sasuke cut him off.

"Okay." Naruto sighed. Sakura opened her mouth but shut it again, standing up. Still looking worriedly at Sasuke's bleeding leg, she followed the two boys into the dark hallway.

/

"Wow, what's this place?" Naruto asked Sasuke.

"Way more fancy than the place at the end of my hall." Team 7 was in a candlelit room with many carvings of people all across the walls. An altar was set in the back of the room with a small, intricately decorated stone box. The hallway had branched into several corridors but the ninja had followed the haunting voices that led him. All the way to this tiny room... The whispers Sasuke heard were the loudest in this room. He could make out what they were saying now.

"The Syndorian blood will live on." There were so many voices that it was overwhelming. Sasuke could barely stay composed.

"Do you hear that?!" he said through his teeth.  
"Hear what?" Naruto said, looking at him with one eyebrow raised.

"They're…talking." Sakura said, horrified. She was looking at the carvings on the walls. Sasuke glanced at them. All of the carvings covering the walls were of people talking. But their mouths were actually moving.

"What the?" Naruto gaped.

Sasuke observed the carvings too. Their moving mouths matched the whispers that were apparently all in his head. Horror froze him like cold stone. What could any of this mean?

"Sasuke?" Sakura whispered, even more worried now. She looked back to see Naruto looking the box over. He slowly lifted the lid before either of them could stop him. The carvings on the walls instantaneously opened their mouths wide and their arms flew to their faces in fright. It looked like they were screaming to Naruto and Sakura but they couldn't hear it. Sasuke could hear them all too well. The whispers were nothing compared to this. Sasuke put his hands on his ears and began screaming himself. His own shrieks intensified the surrounding screams, putting him into a state of madness. The world around him shimmered and blurred.

"Hey, what's the matter?!" Naruto yelled over his screaming. Sasuke just shut his eyes tight as the room spun and shook. Sakura rushed to the box and slammed the lid shut. The carvings returned to their numinous whispering. Sasuke ceased his screaming and calmed himself down. The room still spun a little and a faint ringing lingered in his ears.

"Ok this is getting- weird. Maybe we should go..." Sakura said.

"Yeah..." Sasuke said in an overwrought voice, still managing sarcasm though. Maybe it wasn't necessary but he didn't care. Naruto nodded in strong agreement.

"Sasuke's going crazy in here." He said a little gravely, not as lighthearted as usual.

"I'm _not_ going crazy." Sasuke said but couldn't really believe his own words.

"We can go after I see what is in that damned box." He ignored the whispers and walked up to the altar. Preparing for the onslaught of screams, he lifted the lid. The torturous screeches made him flinch and he quickly grabbed the object inside. He shut the box quickly and relaxed. The object he held was a glass bottle shaped like a rounded cross...filled with a dark liquid that looked exactly like...darkened blood... Sakura covered her mouth so she wouldn't scream. Naruto turned a light shade of green.

"Oh man...what is _that_..?" Naruto grumbled, wincing a little.

"The blood of Syndor…" Sasuke said confidently, staring almost wide-eyed at the gruesome liquid. He was sure of his words but just as worried as they were for how he could know.

"I'm not going to ask…" Naruto said. Sakura seemed speechless at the moment.

"Crazy…!" Naruto fake coughed. Sasuke rolled his eyes and bent down to remove the arrow in his leg, wincing. Naruto was turning to leave when a shrill male's voice laughed from the hall.

"Seize them!"

A big smug grin spread across Naruto's face as three men crept from the hall with large ball and chain maces, their dark cloaks trailing behind them. Sakura pulled out a kunai and Sasuke stood up slowly, wrapping the chain connected to the bottle around his wrist.

"Guess that explains the supplies...There really are people living down here." Sakura noted quietly to them.

"Finally some action!" Naruto said while charging a rasengan and paused when many more men appeared. These men had powerful buzzing tazers.

"What are those?" Naruto said as Sakura pulled him out of the way of an attacking tazer.

"I don't know but they look dangerous!" Sakura said, dodging another strike.

"Obviously…!" Sasuke said, narrowly avoiding the many coming at him.

"Give em' back the bottle Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.

One of the men chuckled.

"Oh go ahead keep it; you'll need it a minute." He cackled. What did that mean?! Naruto was about to counter his comment but he stopped short when Sakura was hit square in the chest by a tazer. She hit the ground limply.

"Sakura!" Naruto yelled in alarm. He was off-guard. Sasuke was about to make a move to help him but these thugs were everywhere. Another tazer struck the orange-clad ninja in the back. He struggled to stay awake but shook it off. The man lunged again and Naruto dodged it; but soon he became surrounded and went down, electricity crackling loudly in the stony halls. Sasuke was backed into a corner now. He dodged a tazer or two only to receive an unyielding blow to the head by a mace. Bright colors and specks flashed in front of his eyes and he blacked out…

/

Someone yelled Sasuke's name. He recognized the voice. Loud, slightly annoying…No, extremely annoying...Naruto. Sasuke opened his eyes, making the bump on his head throb slightly. He could barely move his neck, it was probably sprained. He looked down to see that he was hanging fifteen feet high on a wall. Worst of all he was held there by thick iron chains wrapped around his body. They were ridiculously heavy. His arrow wound was seemingly treated but even so, it didn't feel very nice. He observed his surroundings as much as he could with his neck the way it was. He was in a very beautifully decorated cathedral but it was very dark and gloomy so he must still be underground in the cavern.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called again. Sasuke looked in the direction the call came from. What he saw concerned him. Naruto and Sakura were hanging high from ropes above a medieval bed of long sharp spikes. Interesting.

"We can't get free or we'll die!" Sakura said. Sasuke couldn't see any immediate way they could escape either. And he definitely wasn't getting away in his position. Escape jutsu wasn't really an option with these chains and those cultist goons could have been anywhere.

"Hello Sasuke." The shrill voice from the hall chuckled horribly. Sasuke spun his head around to see a man cloaked in a very intricately decorated cloak, standing in front of what looked like a control panel. Not as medieval as the rest of this set-up. A mocking smile was visible under his hood. He seemed older from the complexion, but not overly; maybe late forties. His voice was raspy though, making him sound much older.

Speak of the devil?

"This guy is psycho, don't listen to him!" Naruto shouted at Sasuke. Kelzar snapped his fingers for everyone's attention. Sasuke glared at him but was listening.

"If you would, I would like you to drink the contents of that bottle." The man said in sadistic politeness, motioning towards it with a small motion.

"Why should I?" Sasuke demanded.

"Well…" The man chuckled darkly. "Your friends will meet their fate." He nodded towards the control panel in front of him.

"Rrrr." Naruto growled in frustration, flailing about in the ropes before he looked down again.

"It's too high." Sakura called, frantic as she watched Sasuke on the wall.

The cloaked man smiled wider.

"We've dealt with ninja before." He sneered. "By the way, I am Lord Kelzar." Kelzar pushed a button on the panel and Sasuke's left hand was freed of the chains. The chain connected to the bottle was still around his wrist. The dark red liquid swished within it gently.

"Now drink the infused blood so we can move on." Kelzar ordered, some of the sinister humor gone. Sasuke looked down in irritation. Did he have a choice?

"What will happen to me after I drink it...?" Sasuke finally asked, accepting the fact that Kelzar had him. At least right now...

"You will become an extinct creature. One that is the entire reason and purpose behind our little organization here. Then you shall make more creatures with your venom to revive the species. We can go into details later." Kelzar waved a hand dismissively.

"Why am I the one drinking it and not someone from your own...group?" Sasuke asked, not keeping any annoyance out of his tone.

"No one else could touch it. We had many who tried but only the-. I said we'd go into details later." Kelzar reminded him. His eyes gleamed under his hood as he lifted his head a little more, smiling again. It hadn't taken Sasuke long to conclude that this man didn't have all of his screws in order, no matter how much truth there might be in his claims...

"Now drink."

"You **will** let them go right?" Sasuke asked as his last question, though he had many more.

"Of _course._ " Kelzar answered amiably. "Please…let it begin." Kelzar chuckled with muted excitement. Sasuke exhaled and popped the golden cap off the vial. It smelled _awful_.

Kelzar chuckled. "You don't want to know how old that is."

Sasuke's stomach churned uncomfortably. _He better let them go_. He thought and put the bottle to his lips. The taste was worse than the smell; Sasuke didn't even know if he could swallow at first, but somehow he managed to drink the vile liquid. And yes, it was blood. When the bottle was empty he thought he might be sick. His guts twisted with discomfort. When his stomach settled he suddenly recoiled in agony. His entire body pulsated with pain. It was hard to breathe for a moment and the pain vanished. Something felt different. The chains weren't half as heavy now... He struggled in them and was appalled when the metal grinded loudly and broke with...well...ease! His feet hit the ground lightly and he drew his gaze up to eye the many guards standing by.

"Okay, not good..." One of them muttered. More of the pain tingled inside Sasuke but it wasn't as bad. If he was so strong, how fast was he? Before Naruto could open his big mouth Sasuke was there untying him and Sakura, careful not to let them fall to their deaths below. The rope fibers practically crumbled in his hands, causing him to use even more caution in handling his friends... He piled Naruto onto his back with virtually no effort on his part, holding Sakura in one of his arms as he swung nimbly from the remains of one of the ropes to avoid the spikes. The guards all around shouted and scrambled to stop them, Kelzar sneering something about miscalculations. Sasuke took off with his new amazing speed down the winding corridors and straight out the door they came in, not knowing what else to do and still reeling over the fact that this was happening. He was surprised that it was already night as he looked around. Naruto yelled something unintelligible and Sasuke slowed to a halt. Not a moment later, another horrible pain pulsed through his body. But this pain was enough to bring him to his knees and Naruto and Sakura toppled off of him. Sakura was shaking and her face was pale in alarm. Naruto got up and was about to help Sasuke up but he pushed his hand away.

"Aren't you two going to get out of here?" he asked in slight exasperation. His brows were furrowed in a permanent wince. He felt like his chest was about to explode.

"Why would we?" Naruto argued.

"I'm supposed to be turning into some sort of creature, idiot and I don't know if it will be a nice one." Sasuke answered him.

"We're not just going to leave you here, Sasuke." Sakura said, pleading somewhat.

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something but was silenced by a horrible throb that exploded in his chest. The pain spread throughout his limbs until he was convulsing from the agony of his entire body. Sinister bloodlust consumed him for a moment and he thought he heard an actual growl escape his throat. It didn't sound quite human.

" _Just go!_ " Sasuke shouted at Naruto and Sakura as another wave of bloodlust washed over him. Now his skin tingled icily. It hurt like ice shards were piercing him. Sakura stood up weakly and Naruto didn't move an inch. Sakura dragged a reluctant Naruto to his feet but it was far too late.

Sakura struggled with him but he just wouldn't give in. Sasuke growled again, this time in pain. Sakura knew they couldn't run now if they wanted to. She took a last look into Sasuke's eyes. As she did so, his pupils narrowed into slits and his eyes became cold as stone. She noticed his skin becoming paler, paler than any she'd seen normally. Sakura's breath left her when his canines elongated into fangs. But nothing could have frightened her more than the most terrible, inhuman, bloodcurdling screech she had ever heard that tore its way out of his vocal cords. It froze her like an ice statue and tingled up her spine. Naruto seemed to be affected the same. Sakura dropped him and he thudded to the ground, not noticing she had done so. Sasuke rose from the ground ominously, his cold eyes fixed upon them. He didn't quite look like a monster, but those eyes said otherwise. He was fighting a losing battle between something, hands clenching and unclenching.

"Go, now…" Sasuke said, his expression unchanged. His voice was strained though, with emotion. This time Naruto stood up and backed up of his own accord. Sakura was too petrified to move. Naruto had to grab her this time.

"Come on Sakura, there's nothing we can do now!" he begged, sounding pained to even be saying such a thing. Sakura forced herself to move and began to turn around to run while Sasuke growled again in strain to hold himself there. She began running but slowed and turned back around.

Naruto wasn't following her.

"Naruto come on!" Sakura shouted. But he was staring blankly at the sky where the moon was beginning to slide its way out of the clouds. Now what?! One second, Naruto was Naruto. Another second, a furry wolf creature tore its way out of his jumpsuit, roaring ferociously at Sasuke. Sakura scrambled backwards in awed reaction, not at all believing what she was seeing. Was that Naruto still? Her eyes were wide, her body refusing to move. The hulking beast, tawny and just slightly orange in color snarled again, Sasuke making another terrible sound in response, this one much closer to a snarl too, not human in the slightest. These sounds could never come from a person. And definitely not Sasuke! Sakura was returning to panic again, breath stinging her lungs and tears pushing behind her eyes. It was too much, just too much, a—  
A hand touched her shoulder, gently almost. She looked behind he and up from where she was on the ground, staring again in awe as her eyes met with two strikingly golden ones, a friendly face smiling down at her calmly.

"I am Dr. Carlisle Cullen...we're here to...help." He looked back over his shoulder as three massive wolves trotted up beside him, looking like something one would find in the Forest of Death as they snarled at Sasuke too. A girl ran up beside the stranger as well, her eyes much closer to red but still striking as they fell on Sakura. She leaned down. There were more voices farther off but Sakura couldn't process very many things right now. Her mouth was a gape.

"I'm Bella, are you alright...?"The girl asked.  
Someone else came up next to her, speaking to the blonde-haired man though. "Carlisle, what is he?"

Sakura stuttered at the girl called Bella, taking in her hair, face, skin. Then she realized it. An exclamation in the chaos.

All of these people were gorgeous!


	2. Who Are These Weirdos?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Chapter 2 already! Again, please let me know if you have any questions or comments I'd be happy to explain and help however I can. This story's going to have a lot of content and there's still the matter of the AU where Konoha and the other Hidden villages actually exist on our world/Twilight world and the ninja have to do what they can to protect their way of life from outsiders. This chapter won't have as much action but don't you worry! More to come soon. ;3  
> -Sable

This night had went swiftly from a simple exploration mission of some cave that was supposed to be empty---to some kind of fever dream that Sakura was still trying to wake up from. It was starting to feel less and less like a dream though as she looked around and still saw, heard, and felt what was there. It was real. Sasuke had been changed into some monster by those cultists, and now Naruto had changed too. Was it that dog statue inide the cave that had done it? The bigger question laid before her now was...Who in the world were these people with golden eyes? Where had they come from? And the giant wolves? (giant animals weren't too much of a shock on their own but they still played a part here)

Sakura boggled at just the girl before her for a moment before looking past her at the two men who were conversing, sort of leaning to the side to get a look. Dr. Cullen, or so he'd called himself was still speaking to a young man. He had bronze hair and the same...unnatural golden eyes. Again, all of these people were very strange in their looks. Pale skin and unnatural beauty that stood out from anything she'd ever seen. 

“Bella, don't get too close.” The bronze-haired man said to the girl, eying Sasuke cautiously as he still stood off against Naruto and those huge wolves. Sakura didn't think she could look yet, her heart pounding in her chest. 

“What is he, Carlisle?” He asked the doctor again but Dr. Cullen shook his head.

“I'm not quite sure yet, Edward.” He replied. So the bronze-haired one was Edward? Sakura slowly absorbed these foreign names, knowing for sure now that these people were outsiders. This was bad, she needed to get Sasuke and Naruto out of here before these people wondered too much where they were from. Team 7 was still dressed in a very unusual manner for these people. 

One of the giant wolves barked, the sound booming almost. A russet-colored wolf joined the scene, the girl called Bella speaking worriedly. “Be nice, Jake, I think he's just out of control.” She insisted and the hulking canine growled. It almost sounded like annoyance as he charged in, leading the others who had been standing by. Sakura could not keep her eyes averted now as she watched the assault on Sasuke. Sasuke stood his ground, despite the size of the wolves, They had to be almost ten feet tall each! Another spine-chilling screech filled the air and Sakura covered her ears, a sound escaping her as she watched Naruto charge in too to join the wolves. There was more shouting but it wasn't frantic. In fact most of these people sounded quite calm despite the situation. Like they knew what they were doing. Did they? Bella reached out to shake one of Sakura's shoulders.  
“Hey, come on, come with me. Everything's going to be fine alright? They won't hurt him...” Bella looked out at the fight, Sakura glancing too to see A few hulking wolves thrown like ragdolls across the field. Sakura felt faint. Had Sasuke done that?  
“A-Are you s-sure--”  
“Yes, I promise.” Bella insisted, helping Sakura to her feet. Sakura followed her toward the two golden-eyed men, watching someone else run past them now. Another gorgeous man with a gorgeous voice too, probably. He ran so fast, Sakura thought he must have surely been using chakra but that was impossible right? Sakura couldn't keep up. Maybe this was just a really vivid dream...

“Emmett, be careful!” A woman's voice called. She didn't sound terribly worried, leading Sakura to again—wonder how these people were so relaxed. Thousand pound wolves were being thrown around, this was no time to be calm! 

Edward seemed all too eager, but calm as Bella lead Sakura over to him. He looked frustrated, maybe scared but he was composed.

“Can you tell us what happened?” he asked over the noise. Sakura took a moment to stutter but nodded. She had to trust these people for now, it seemed.  
In as few words as she could, she explained what had happened down in the cultist's lair, giving details where she could 

“An extinct species? That makes sense...” Edward speculated like it really did make sense but Sakura had no idea what he was talking about. These outsiders were very strange.

“Poor kid...” Bella sighed. Sakura tried not to look t the battlefield again, still hearing those snarls and what sounded like those awful sounds Sasuke had been making. Naruto was in there too somewhere...could he control himself? Was he making things worse? 

“Hey, stay with us, now.” Edward snapped his fingers, Sakura blinking as she looked at him, just noticing now that she was shaking, pretty badly too. His eyes bore into her head...almost like he knew exactly what was scaring her, telling her it was going to be alright.

“So you're ninja's? I'll explain later but I need to know where you three came from.” Edward explained, Sakura's mouth dropping open. 

“Well-well, yes...but I can't...we can't tell anyone. We just came here to--” 

Edward nodded as if he knew exactly what she was trying to say, turning to walk of toward that doctor again. The man that had joined the battle earlier: Emmett, they'd called him, walked over to meet them, shaking his head. “He's not calming down at all.” He said in almost a reporting manner. 

“He might need blood. Or it seems that way...” Edward said, looking back at Sakura with suddenly furrowed brows. Did he just notice she was listening? He nodded to Bella and she suddenly took Sakura's hand. Wait, blood? Did Edward say blood? What did that mean?!

“Let's get away from the drama, shall we? Hold on tight.”

Sakura shouted as she was suddenly lifted off her feet, moving at a dizzying speed, not knowing what was going on other than she was pretty sure Bella was carrying her. A huge white house was coming into view, or it looked like a house. Sakura had no idea where they were. They were moving too fast. It seemed they were in a town or city that the outsiders lived in. Sakura had never thought she's ever meet anyone outside of the ninja world. They were kept separated for a reason and here Team 7 was jeopardizing that all of a sudden. According to ninja conduct taught to them in the ninja academy, they were supposed to kill these people for what they knew but after what she'd seen, and the fact Bella was carrying Sakura with such speed and ease....she suspected that wasn't an option. These people didn't even seem....human. And Sakura knew for certain that outsiders didn't possess abilities like these...

Within moments they were at the doorstep, Bella letting a very wobbly Sakura down.

“Esme?” Bella said a little quietly and they door suddenly opened like she'd said some magic word. It was too fast for someone simply answering the door but there was another woman there now, looking past Bella at Sakura. Her eyes were golden too of course. Without a word, she beckoned them inside, Sakura still doing her best to follow Bella, looking up at the strange building as they came inside. It was a very ice home from what Sakura could see but she didn't have time to take it in. “Hello there, dear.” The new woman greeted in a warm and gentle voice. Sakura simply nodded, still shaking, she could feel it. Bell lead her slowly to a couch, letting her sit down. “Are you alright...?” She asked, looking to the one called Esme again.

Sakura knew she probably wasn't but she nodded, deciding she shouldn't nod and shook her head soon afterward. “No, not really...” She said honestly. She could still hear the sounds of the fighting outside, but it was too far away in actuality so she must have been imagining it now, imprinted on her ears. 

Bella smiled a little. “It's really okay. We don't expect you to understand all of this...well—yet.” She looked to Esme for help. The kind woman brushed a lock of brown hair from her eyes, smiling at Sakura before coming to sit next to her, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I know a lot is going on right now but we promise it will be okay. You can trust us, alright?” She said in a way that made Sakura miss her mother back at the village. Wherever the village was now. Esme rubbed her back soothingly. “How old are you, sweetie? Do you have a name?”

“Twelve...S-Same with Naruto. Sasuke's thirteen... I'm...I'm Sakura.”  
Esme frowned in disapproval but nodded. “I see...Much too young to be wandering out on your own I would think. Where do you live, Sakura?”

“Edward said something about ninja's?” Bella inquired lightly.

“I—I really can't tell you...I'm sorry..” Sakura insisted, lowering her head. She appreciated their efforts to calm her down though. It was working a little. “I'll be fine once I see Sasuke and Naruto safe...”

Esme gave her a very sympathetic look, about to speak again but stopping suddenly as she looked to the door. Bella did too as if they were expecting something to happen. Sakura hadn't heard anything. As if they'd heard it a mile away a knock suddenly came to the door before someone barged in. It was a dark-skinned boy, very tall and....shirtless? Sakura gaped at the sight before he spoke in a growl, looking to them, though Sakura knew he wasn't talking to her. 

“Little bastard won't calm down...” He spoke with what seemed like a warmer voice but he was clearly frustrated. Annoyed. He was surely speaking of Sasuke.

“Sasuke? Is he hurt?” Sakura surprised herself by speaking.

“No, but Seth sure is. What the heck is up with that kid? The teeth and the nails. He looks like one of you...but like in the books...Garlic and bats and all that? He's scary strong too...Packs more punch than a newborn. That werewolf kid's a lot of help though. Anyone know where he came from?” He said to Bella and Esme. They both looked bewildered. Bella shook her head.

“I don't know, Carlisle and Edward are trying to figure it out. It has to do with those people these kids met in that cave....And the werwolf....Naruto, right?” She looked to Sakura. Sakura was holding back tears by now hearing these things but nodded. “Did that have to do with the cave too?” Bella asked.

“Yeah...Naruto said he found some kind of statue. I found this...And Sasuke found the box with the blood in it....” Sakura reached into her pouch to pull out the silver necklace. In this light it was easier to see the intricate details. The pendant was that of a crescent moon, engraved with little inscriptions.

They all marveled at the necklace except for Jacob who remained annoyed. “All of this in some cave?”

“It was some kind of cultist's lair.” Bella corrected and Jacob sighed.

“Right...so that necklace do anything?” He asked Sakura like she was supposed to know?

Sakura shook her head. “It doesn't seem like it...but maybe it does...” She laid the pendant in her hand, staring at it still before she shut her eyes, hugging her knees as she huddled to think, not thinking she could handle this right now. Her knees were still weak. Her head spinning.

Esme continued to rub Sakura's back, smiling at Jacob gently. “I don't think there's much to say right now about all this. I trust Carlisle will know what to do once the boy has calmed down.”

“He's -not- calming down. That's what I'm saying...” Jacob growled in frustration again, losing patience. He seemed so hot-headed. “It's like the Energizer Rabbit, know him? Going and going and going?” He sounded sarcastic this time.

Bella tried not to laugh but knew this was a time to be serious.

Sakura heard all that was being said but didn't dare open her eyes. All she wanted was to help her teammates...her friends. And these people....But what could she do?

She clutched the necklace tighter...If only she could talk to Sasuke...Maybe it was like what happened in the Chunin Exams with the cursemark...Maybe someone could reach out to him and get him to calm down. Maybe she could...But it was too dangerous out there. She knew that. Why did she have to be so useless again? Why did this always happen?

**“Sakura?”**

A voice Sakura knew very -very- well suddenly sounded in her head. She almost opened her eyes to see if it was any of the others but she knew it definitely wasn't. It was Sasuke's voice. She didn't open her eyes, afraid it would go away.

**“Sasuke...? Is that really you?”** She pleaded, not sure if it would work. 

**“Yeah...I don't know what's happening...Why are you in my head? Why is everyone trying to pin me down? Where are you?”** He sounded confused, maybe sad. Sakura could almost feel it too. 

She necklace seemed to hum in her palm, reverberating so gently Sakura thought she might have imagined it. She was in Sasuke's head? Was this the necklace's doing?

**“I don't know how or why...but this is good! Where are you? They're saying you need to calm down...that you're out of control. I think they're trying to help.”** She tried not to let her thoughts get too frantic. 

**“I can't...it feels impossible....it's all instinct.”** A flash erupted in Sakura's mind, the violence of the battle visible in blurred red, just for a moment. She could feel it, sickening bloodlust rushing through her limbs themselves, panic and determination to survive, to kill, rip apart everything and everyone. Flashing teeth and claws. Outwardly she gasped, her eyes flying open as the others stared at her. 

**“Sasuke...I'm...I'm so sorry.”** She thought weakly, still horrified by what she'd seen. 

**“I'll try...stay safe, wherever you are. I don't want to hurt these people...but I don’t think we can trust them either.”** Sasuke replied. 

**“I really think they just want to help us. At least I think that's their first intention.”** Sakura pleaded. 

**“I guess I'll have to believe you for now...We don't have a choice. I'll try not to hurt Naruto...”**

“Sakura? Is everything alright?” Esme's voice came from outside of Sakura's head, Sakura blinking a couple times as she came back.

“I just....I just spoke to Sasuke....I think it was the necklace.” Sakura said confidently. “He said he's having trouble, he can't control himself. I felt it...” 

“Was it....like bloodlust, dear?” Esme asked, Bella wincing at the words slightly as she looked on.

Esme nodded in understanding, looking to Jacob with a grimness in her expression.

Sakura looked between them, becoming anxious. “What? Do you know what's wrong with him? What he is? What they did to him?” She tried not to sound demanding but if these people knew what was going on she needed to know. 

Esme looked to her, hesitating before looking to Bella too. Bella sighed softly.

“Well I think you could have probably guessed by now...but we're not exactly human. We're vampires.”

Vampires? Sakura hadn't heard that word before. Bella seemed surprised to see her so confused.

“They're kind of like...people, except....stronger, faster...special powers.”

“Like ninjas?” Sakura tilted her head.

“N-No, like....ugh. How do I put this--”

“They drink blood, kid. So does your boyfriend out there. We just don't know what he is. Probably a different kind of bloodsuck—vampire.” Jacob interjected, arms still folded impatiently.

Sakura looked down slightly, feeling sick to her stomach....Naruto was some kind of wolf creature and Sasuke was....a blood-drinker?

What was Kakashi sensei going to say....?


	3. Hunting

Sakura put her face in her hands. “So...you guys are vampires too? You drink blood? Where do vampires come from? Is Sasuke really a complete mystery to you?” She tried to keep calm but she couldn't get it out of her head, what Sasuke had shown her. It scared her....that such awful urges could even exist. 

Bella stuttered once, looking down when Sakura lifted her head, looking apologetic.

“I'm sorry...I just—this is all so sudden...”

“It's alright, Sakura...really.” Bella struggled a little with the foreign name. Sakura had to admit she thought hers strange as well. Especially that other doctor's name, “Carlisle Cullen”.

“Um...well we do know a lot about vampires. Especially Carlisle...” Bella began to explain. There was that name again. Esme nodded in agreement, also speaking.

“Yes, but until we know what exactly your friend...Sasuke—was it? What Sasuke has become...it's quite a mystery.”

Sakura nodded in understanding, drawing her gaze downward again “Alright...and Naruto?”

“Those Volturi stiffs call them Children of the Moon. Werewolves. Kind of like us, but different. They're supposed to be stronger I guess...seems like that's true.” Jacob said, shrugging. “We still kick plenty of ass.” He still looked annoyed but Sakura was getting the sense this guy cracked a lot of jokes, maybe he was just in a bad mood. She couldn't describe how small she felt between all of these superhuman adults, just a twelve-year old ninja dumped into a world of “vampires” and “werewolves”. She needed to stay here for now though. Just the fact these people knew anything gave her hope for Sasuke and Naruto and hopefully returning home soon with them...if that was possible. What a mission this had turned out to be...at least they'd gotten away from those cultists though.

“So he's like...part wolf?” Sakura recalled the creature Naruto had become, standing on two legs, tons of fur and muscle and terrifying wolf-like features. He was different from the others who just looked like big wolves. Apparently Jacob was one of these wolves. Was that scary? Sakura blinked at the man, trying to imagine him as a ten-foot wolf. Hm...no...still seemed less scary than Naruto...or maybe even less scary than these “vampires”. Drinking blood sounded really unsettling and dangerous...especially after seeing Sasuke's vision he had shown her. So...he was going to attack Sakura and Naruto and drink their blood back there? Is that why he told them to go...? The whole reason? Sakura looked down at her lap.

Esme rubbed Sakura's back, clearly sensing her distress. “It'll be fine, dear. Jacob's pack will bring him back safe. For all we know Edward and Carlisle have helped them calm him down and they're on their way back now.” She cooed.

“Where is Renesmee?” Bella asked suddenly.  
Now THAT was a strange name. But maybe not to them.

“She's at the cottage. Said she wanted to organize something?” Esme chuckled. “I'm not sure.”

Bella nodded, smiling in relief.” Good. So Sakura...maybe you could use that necklace to check on them?”

“Y-Yeah I guess so...” She agreed, nodding. “You're right.” She smiled a little, realizing how comforting the thought was. How had she even forgotten? She must be losing it...

**“Sasuke...?”** Sakura asked timidly. She didn't get a verbal response this time, gasping a little as Sasuke's senses consumed her again, opening her eyes—no, his eyes were open. Everything was calm now, Sasuke was walking with those wolves, wary of them though as he followed two figures that were unmistakably Carlisle and Edward. Naruto, not looking like himself still followed alongside them, close to Sasuke who seemed a lot calmer. There were the lines of trees on all sides but they were likely getting close. She had jut now noticed how fast they were all going. There was something Sakura sensed though that was being dulled....like she wasn't feeling everything Sasuke was. 

**“You wouldn't be able to handle it.”** He answered her.

**“Handle what?”**

**“Nevermind it—well, it's hard to explain but I can hear and smell....everything...it's a little overwhelming...we're on our way...Naruto's hurt but fine...”** He thought with an added note, almost a bitter one. Sakura recognized it as guilt. She knew Sasuke well enough. And...this connection allowed her to feel what he was feeling to a degree as well, something that might have thrilled her under other circumstances.

**“Good...we're all worried back here. They they say don't know what you are but they have an idea of what it might be.”**

**“Yeah...the doctor told me. Carlisle...I don't trust them but they weren't trying to hurt me while I was trying to hurt them so...I guess that's reason enough to listen for now. S-Sakura...?”** He said a little apprehensively.

**“Yes?”**

**“I'm scared...”**

**“Y-You're scared? Oh, Sasuke...it's..it's going to be alright. Okay? I think they can help. What are you scared of?”** Sakura tried to get him talking or—thinking? It didn't matter. Maybe it could help. Already Sakura was stunned at how scared and small Sasuke felt, despite the mask he always wore. That mask he used to try and fool everyone into thinking he was as strong as he wanted to be. It was stripped away now.

**“I—I'm afraid of...myself, What I might do with this..power...Nevermind...” Sakura sensed his thoughts retreat for now.**

**“Sasuke, you can tell me.”**

**“The guy with brown hair is listening...it's fine...Do you...think the sun would burn me?”**

Well that was a strange question.

**“Where is this coming from all of a sudden...what do you mean the brown-haired guy?”**

Did he mean Edward? Sakura recalled the strange conversation they had had. 

**“This...might sound strange, but the sun is coming up...and I feel uneasy.”** Sakura was allowed a taste of this uneasiness seeing through Sasuke's eyes again as he looked out behind them at the growing light of the dawn. **“And that guy...knows way too much for someone who can't read your mind. Which also sounds crazy...”** Sakura felt Sasuke truly consider the fact that he might be crazy. He really was shaken up.

**“N-No, Sasuke, I think there's something about him too. These people said they have strange powers...I'm not entirely sure what that means though.”**

**“Alright...”** Sasuke agreed quietly, that uneasiness still there.

He and Sakura watched as he ran behind the others, the tiniest rays of light began to peek through the branches, the sight like pricks of needles on Sasuke's eyes, and then....

His skin was on fire.

It had to be on fire. It was burning. Scalding, searing like live coals were being pressed mercilessly into the flesh.

He screamed, no...he screeched, again, that awful sound. Everything instantly became crimson, surging with rage and frantic hunger. The experience sent Sakura from his mind, bouncing back after a moment to see him running again, faster and faster. He was honing in on something, breath like ice in his lungs, teeth bared, that sickening lust for blood roiling in the deepest parts of him, aching so badly through his limbs. He had to sate it, the fiery wrath of the sun flashing repeatedly on his pale flesh only drove him forward. Was it fear or was it hunger now? Whichever it was, it mattered little as the young ninja dashed at blinding speeds past the trees, something up ahead gathering his complete attention. He could smell it for miles if he wanted. It was what he needed. It was blood....and it was in that cottage. Sasuke knew with every instinct in his body that he would not fail in ripping out whatever throat was waiting there...

Sakura forced and tore her way out of the terrifying nightmare, blurting as coherently as she could to the ones still surrounding her.

“Renesmee!”


	4. Heads and Tails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's another side to the story from Naruto's standpoint, a quick but important chapter. Things are about to get hairy! ^w^  
> -Sable

Naruto had started to relax with things, sudden and maybe a little scary as they were. These huge wolves that talked to each other, these pale people with weird eyes, weird names and even weirder scents. There were two leading the party They seemed to know what they were doing at least. The wolves that attacked Sasuke seemed affiliated with them. All of these outsiders were very strange...and very powerful too. Naruto had been worried they planned to kill Sasuke and leaped into action to save him but...it seemed Sasuke was the one who was against all of them. It was scarier than any of this, seeing his best friend in that state. Wild and crazed, ready to kill any of them, wanting to kill them...and whatever that cult had turned Sasuke into was very strong...he'd stood up to all of those wolves, almost killed one of them, a sandy -colored one before Naruto could step in. Thank goodness whatever had happened to Naruto had made him strong too. Now that everything was calm he ran closeby to Sasuke as the troop was being led protective and a little annoyed that he was...by the way, STILL a giant hairy...thing! Naruto had no idea what he was or what he looked like but the doctor guy had called him "werewolf", whatever that was... He sniffed Sasuke, still weirded out by the fact he could smell so many things, hear so many things that he never would have been able to as a human. Even though he wouldn't have known the difference before, he could definitely tell that Sasuke smelled...strange...something dangerous that set Naruto's new fur on edge. It was unsettling but Naruto trusted Sasuke completely. Sasuke hadn't spoken at all since the battle, head down slightly while they all still charged ahead at what felt like...a casual pace actually, even as Naruto watched the trees whiz past them. This night couldn't get any weirder...speaking of night... Naruto looked up at the sky, watching as it seemed to be lighting up. Morning? Man, they had been down there a long time huh?

Naruto couldn't talk to Sasuke, the obvious reason being his bestial form, also the fact they were moving but he tried to communicate, barking at him. Sasuke was only startled by this, flashing those...teeth at Naruto a moment before looking horrified, dropping his head again. He looked guilty, maybe scared too...Naruto could understand why... He could barely feel it by now but he now bore a deep slash across his shoulder, something Sasuke had done in his fit. As for the scared part, Naruto knew he probably didn't look too friendly in his new form. Neither did Sasuke honestly...especially with those slitted eyes, but Naruto's was a much more drastic change, he thought. Sasuke looked...the same, but also completely different. It was hard to explain the tiny changes he saw with his sharp "werewolf" eyes. What had that cult been planning for his friend? When they had said 'extinct species', Naruto had imagined something more like a creature but other than those strange subtle differences. Eyes, teeth, skin, and...face, Sasuke looked the same, human. Come to think of it. These golden-eyed people sort of reminded him of the same subtle differences. Their weird scents and eyes and skin and t—Oh! So maybe this was why they knew about Sasuke!

"I'm sorry, Naruto..." Sasuke said softly, Naruto's ears perking up at the sound. Weird, even Sasuke's voice was different. Sort of...alluring in a strange way.

Naruto shook his furry head in strong refusal for the apology. He knew Sasuke didn't mean to do what he did! He barked, Sasuke nodding just a little. He looked down again before suddenly looking more alert, slitted eyes narrowing as he looked over his shoulder at the growing brightness in the sky. Naruto could see Sasuke's emotions shift. Sullen to unsettled. Naruto couldn't imagine why, even following Sasuke's apprehensive gaze to the sky behind them. It was really cloudy here, and it had rained on their way to the cavern but it was a little clearer now, despite the fact the sun would still only be peeking through the clouds.

"Carlisle?" Sasuke spoke quietly, really quietly but Naruto and the doctor could easily hear it.

"Yes?" The blonde-haired doctor turned his head toward him. The brown-haired one with the weird hair-do looked back at them too. Edward, right?

"The sun is coming up...is that bad?" Sasuke asked intently.

"No? Why would you think that is bad? You can't seriously think the sun would burn you like in the movies and old silly legends." Carlisle chuckled.

"What...silly legends? Burn me?" Sasuke sounded even more uneasy now, a little incredulous.

"You've never heard of vampires?"

"No?"

Carlisle paused, looking back at Sasuke and Naruto a moment as he put together the two facts. Or so Naruto guessed. Sasuke didn't know what he was talking about...and yet he was worried about the sun? Naruto looked back at the sky again.

Sasuke's breathing quickened, Naruto could smell his fear, anxiety growing as the sky brightened. "Wh-What are you talking about? What's a vam-"

"Ninja's don't know about vampires clearly. Their culture is not linked to ours it seems. It seems more reminiscent of older Japanese culture. Right, Sasuke?"

Edward spoke, Sasuke blinking at him.

Naruto was just as aghast. These guys knew about ninja's too?! More importantly, this guy knew Sasuke's name?! Naruto sworn it hadn't been verbally said in front of the man. Naruto's had but not Sasuke's.

Sasuke grit his teeth, looking upset as he spoke. "You'd better explain how you know so much later or we'll have no choice but to-"

Naruto had been waiting for the end of that sentence, the moment yanked out from under them though as it seemed to change in milliseconds. Flipping utterly on it's side. In fact...there was not time inbetween that statement, and the sudden scream of pain that tore out of Sasuke's apparently powerful lungs. Naruto could have leaped out of his skin!

Sasuke was here, then he was gone, a loud and shrill hissing sound filling the air as the sun finally showed itself through the numerous trees, screaming became screeching, the sound farther away by the second though as the group struggled to realize what had just happened. Naruto tore after him though, no matter what was happening. The farther Sasuke was away the more he paniced! What had hurt him, why!? Was it really-the SUN?! Naruto didn't have any time to question. He pushed his legs harder, as fast as they would go, all—four of them?! WHATEVER!

"Renesmee!" Edward shouted, running almost right alongside Naruto now. Whe Naruto glanced over at him, the man looked scared...no, terrified...Who was Renesmee? What was he going on about?

Where was Sasuke going? Why was he running?

Why did Naruto's gut tell him that something awful was about to happen?


	5. Ready or Not

Sasuke ripped past the thick green ferns, branches, stumps, and canopies at blinding speed, every scent and taste ringing in his senses like mighty gongs. Every molecule around him suddenly spoke languages he never knew before, even when he passed them all so quickly, tearing across the terrain. This was how it was since he'd left that dark cult lair. It felt like emerging into the world as if it were a new place entirely. But the world had not changed at all. It was him, who had changed... And in such frightening ways already. He speculated this now as he watched himself, a moment of clarity in all of this panic. Inhuman snarls of agony and intent uttered from his mouth, skin searing with every pinprick of sunlight. That pain drove him forward as if his life had no other purpose. Pure instinct, so much so that it was unclear a moment what he was rushing toward so frantically. It was all so automatic...but as he focused, thought about what his new body was telling him, he felt it again, a sudden rush as his consciousness caught up with his body...Bloodlust. The same aching of need in his bones, the unbearable dryness in his throat as he'd stared down his squad members...his friends...not long ago. Their molecules had spoken much different languages to him...inviting carnal lust unlike anything Sasuke could ever have imagined possible. In himself, and in anyone who would consider themselves human... That was the truth of it. He wasn't human any longer, this much was certain...frightening as it was. and though he might have felt differently should he have been in another state, he didn't care...There was something about the new unbridled power he could feel springing and surging through his body beneath the searing pain. It was something that made him smile now...just as he had when the cursemark embraced him with it's promise of power not a month ago... And who knew what new limits it could bring him to. This new body. He felt...good with this power...closer to his ultimate goal. Even as his current objective became clear up ahead, the thrumming little heart that promised alleviation from painful thirst, he only smiled beatifically, lips pulling back to bare his newest weapon to his prey...

Ferns rustled only gently despite the violent approach the young ninja made, whizzing past them so fast perhaps what awareness plants had could not have known or guessed.

A cottage with it's wooden structure, warm scents...

A small girl stepped outside, large eyes turning too slowly to meet Sasuke's. Though it was impressive she had even sensed his murderous coming. Yes...but all in vain. Sasuke could see every detail as fear replaced the once carefree, perhaps somewhat concerned face that had stepped outside, curious to respond to her name someone had called out from the woods.

Renesmee.

A thrill unlike any other Sasuke had felt tingled up his spine, through his fingers that were poised like claws. A deep calling from inside of him that urged him forward...inviting him into yet another new world, yet another change. He was going to kill Rensemee, and do so gladly...Just another stepping stone to Itachi. He would greedily suck every drop of her life away from her, no matter what person he had been moments ago talking to Naruto... Wait-

Colors suddenly erupted in Sasuke's vision, vivid ones unlike the ones his eyes truly saw. Sky blue, orange, Pink, emerald green... He suddenly saw the faces of his friends in those combinations of colors. For that moment he forgot...forgot what dark things consumed his mind. What was he doing?!

His body moved without his will but it seemed to react as well, curling backward instead of lunging forward. His feet dug deeply into the soft dirt in desperation to halt, his own eyes wide as he stared back at Renesmee. The small girl was a gape, looking up at him in terror. Her innocent eyes were welling in tears nearly. This...this was not who he meant to kill. This was not Itachi... This wasn't right. What in the world had he been—WHAM!  
A blur of movement was all Sasuke heard or saw before a furry mass slammed into him, flanking him from the left to knock him away from the girl. He was more than knocked off his feet, that immense force probably enough to shatter a human skeleton several times over. It was then that Sasuke remembered, in fact his whole body remembered what he had meant to do with Renesmee's life! He needed to kill her! Kill someone! Take their neck in his teeth and obey what would come next. Blood... It didn't matter how he got it! He needed it! He wanted it! New screams filled the air again, Sasuke heard them as his own. They were scared and desperate, grieving...but soon they changed as he did once again, humanity draining from the sound until it was only primal. That demonic screeching...a warcry to announce his wrath. He was not sure when...but at some point in his descent, he had pleaded to Sakura, to Naruto whether that idiot could hear him or not. He was scared. Scared of everything. What was happening to him? Was this what power was?

No matter how good it felt, or how exciting...Sasuke knew this wasn't right...


	6. Judge

"Sasuke, stop!"  
Naruto cried, though his words weren't words at all of course, just a loud bark and snarl as he tackled his friend down, not afraid to do so, awful as it looked for a ten-foot tall wolf-nightmare to be slamming into a thirteen-year old boy. Naruto had learned well already how necessary it was...considering what frightening strength and speed Sasuke now possessed as a "vampire". It wasn't hard to forget that either when those awful screeches and inhuman growls filled the air again. Naruto still did not know what he thought of them, only that somewhere inside him, a place that had come new with this monstrous body he now had, instincts told him...that Sasuke was not only dangerous, but something he should eliminate. Not only an enemy, but a menacing force, something evil. It spoke to his blood. It was strong...but Naruto fiercely rejected it, that much was easy for him with the matter of his teammate's life. It wasn't all that unfamiliar either, the feeling of evil. Naruto knew it in the nine-tails within himself. What he wasn't used to though...was sensing something so genuinely sinister and evil...from another person.

Sasuke.

The lightest sound of footsteps sounded behind Naruto before a blur of movement suddenly placed a man right in front of him and Sasuke, a look of manic fury in his golden eyes. It was the one who knew too much. The bronze-haired guy.  
Naruto had blazed ahead of the others but he knew that the bronze-haired guy had been almost right behind him. Both of them had almost been too late to save the little girl...Renesmee was what he called her right? She seemed more than important him...  
Sasuke thrashed around violently under Naruto, that incredible strength already there, almost throwing him off. Naruto was in awe how weightless his massive furry body felt as he was finally shoved off, digging his claws into the earth to steady himself. Naruto saw it in a sort of slow motion, ready as Sasuke thrust himself back onto his feet. Those frightening fangs flashed again, nails elongated into claws once more too. The vampire looked ready for anything...but it was over for him. Naruto slowly absorbed this fact as the bronze-haired vampire dove in...followed one by one by each and every one of the ones traveling in the group. Strange golden-eyed monsters and giant wolves alike. It was different now though. That look in their eyes...

They didn't forgive Sasuke for attacking that Renesmee girl, did they...?

A raging battle unfolded once again, Sasuke roaring and thrashing even more at his aggressors. There were s many Naruto didn't know what to do! His heart stopped though when he heard tearing of flesh, whose he did not know. Some of it was different...like metal ripping rather than flesh ripping. Either way blood was already abaundant on the battlefield, the mess of a battle too much to keep up with. Sasuke cried out in fury and pain. Naruto could see him in the middle of the chaos, in and out of sight. He was doing well... and speed outmatching all of those attacking him, as well as technique as a ninja...but there were too many. Naruto saw that too. The dark blood spilling out over the grass, cold before it got there. Torrents of it, freed by torn flesh, bites and slashes. It...it was a slaughter...

They.

They were going to kill Sasuke.


	7. Weight of Power

Naruto couldn't move his legs as he watched in terror... He'd never seen anything like this before. How could he know what to do? His friend was being torn apart piece by piece in front of him... Sure, Sasuke wasn't in control of himself and probably wanted to tear them apart too but it seemed these people and wolves had finally decided he was too big a threat and truly did want to end his life. There was one vampire missing from the skirmish Naruto noticed, the blonde one named Carlisle. There was a burly one, a darker blond one with longer hair, and the one that knew too much. Carlisle was missing it seemed. Five had wolves joined them, forming a practically inescapable mob surrounding Sasuke. All hell was breaking loose. Those awful sounds filling the air. The little girl had been watching but couldn't now, having fled to the safety of the doorway to the cottage, crying softly. Naruto felt his jaw literally drop open as two of the wolves managed to get a hold of one of Sasuke's arms each in their jaws, snarling as they yanked back violently. Naruto winced, fully prepared to hear those limbs tear right off-! But...they didn't. Pale, bloody flesh tore, stripping away but the bones held, indestructible. They couldn't get his arms off. Sasuke was enraged between them, suddenly throwing both of those wolves and another latched onto his neck off with an amazing feat of strength, signaling a retaliation from the other vampires. Very soon the same wolves rejoined as well, overwhelming Sasuke once more. Or so Naruto thought before another metallic rip rang through the air and what appeared to be an arm from that burlier vampire flew out of the tangle and thudded on the grass. Did...did Sasuke still have a chance? It didn't matter anymore, Naruto should not have been just standing around! No matter what kindness these strangers had shown before, they were enemies as of now! No matter what their reasoning for trying to kill Sasuke... Naruto tried not to think about what could have happened to that little girl as he dove in, roaring at the aggressors, all of them. Whoever didn't get out of the werewolf's way was in for it!

Sakura was in awe how quickly these strange people mobilized in reaction to the situation. The name had hardly left her mouth before they were out the door, Sakura being dragged behind the Bella girl. They were—fast! Just as fast as before but faster. It wasn't another moment before Sakura was pulled onto the girl's back again, dashing ahead at dizzying speeds. Even for a ninja, the speed these people moved seemed beyond possibility for what they seemed. Even Lee would have to enter his opened gate state to reach these speeds. To these people, that speed seemed leisurely. Easy. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura saw Jacob, though she hadn't even noticed it seemed he was that giant wolf again, everyone else was behind or beside he and Bella. A glance up at the vampire girl's face revealed how truly precious these Renesmee girl must have been to them... And if Sasuke had those intentions when he was hunting her down...

Sakura just hoped the others had been able to stop him somehow. Naruto and the rest of them... She hoped they were all safe...

"Bella! Get back!" A voice suddenly shouted. Sakura snapped out of her daze, blinking as she realized how far they had traveled, the sounds that now filled her ears. At first it was merely chaos...but then the uproar began to distinguish itself. It was like a war...a war between terrible animals. Sakura spun her head around, stifling a scream at the scene she saw... Blood, so much blood...Teeth. Wolf teeth, gleaming vampire teeth bared wide. And lastly, those characteristic fangs set only in Sasuke's mouth, stained in blood, a display of rage and aggression, desperation while all of those other teeth, hands and claws alike tried to tear him apart. One, however, did not...Sakura was stunned she realized it so late. The giant hulking werewolf that slashed and snapped at the ones attacking Sasuke. Defending him!? What in the world was going on?!

"Edward, what's-!" Bella tried to shout back but she was just as much in shock as Sakura was. The small girl, Renesmee was nearby at the cottage, cowering. Bella seemed to ignore "Edward's" warning, letting Sakura down before running to the girl, hugging the crying child tightly. Jacob barked loudly, one of the wolves in the tangle barking a reply. Without so much as a thought the wolf seemed to leap right in, roaring in fury all of a sudden. These people...

"Hold him down!-"  
"I can't!"  
"His legs-! Just-"  
"Jasper—no!"  
Shouts came from inside the mess of violence, the barks and roars from the wolves likely other forms of communication. Naruto and Sasuke didn't fight as a unit like they might in their right minds but the attacking strangers were being fought off, bit by bit, even with their numbers. Sakura could barely look at Sasuke...as he was missing most of the skin and muscle from his arms and torso, a loud shrill hiss still filling the air that sent him into wilder madness. It was only relieved every time Naruto's large body shielded him from the sun, just for a split moment though. Then—before Sakura could barely realize it, Naruto went down, a pile of wolves on top of him, tearing at his limbs—no, just holding them. Jacob still attacked Sasuke, currently trying to get the ninja's neck in his teeth while the other vampires punched, kicked, bit and clawed. They fought just as fiercely as any wolf, they even seemed stronger in some ways. The one called Edward screamed with almost as much wrath as Sasuke did, fighting with two female vampires and two more male vampires, their relentless attacks along with Jacob's soon overwhelmed Sasuke too, pushing him finally to the ground where he writhed in rage, fear, and agony, screeching. They seemed too be tugging at his limbs, trying to rip them off?! Tears bagan pouring down Sakura's face, though she felt they should have been long ago now. She was frozen.

"Sakura!" Naruto's voice suddenly called out from the pile of wolves. "They're gonna kill him!" The emotion was undeniable in his voice. Had he become human again somewhere under there?

It didn't matter. Sakura shook off her shock, arms and legs still shaking though as she dashed forward, screaming at the top of her lungs. There was no way these people were going to kill Naruto or Sasuke, she wouldn't let it happen!

"STOP!"

Even beside the roars and growls and screeching she felt her voice rise above it, ringing out. Sakura would have charged right into the fray...but a hand suddenly stopped her, gripping her shoulder. She spun her head around to see Carlisle again, those striking eyes and hair. A stern and pained expression was on his face.

"That's enough! Edward! Jacob! Emmet, Jasper! Rosalie, Alice!" He called out each name, Esme standing beside him with an even more pained expression. The sound of the doctor's voice, Perhaps Sakura's voice too had an immediate effect on the battlefield. Every head turned their way, the slashing and biting and ripping...it stopped altogether. Silence. The only sound was the obnoxious hissing that still seared across Sasuke's skin. The moment he was free though, the vampire, dashed away into the shade, collapsing nearly as he hid in the brush, gasping and growling in pain. He didn't make it far before the taller, larger vampire seized him by the hair, holding him in place. Sasuke writhed lividly again but he was losing strength fast. Everyone still stared at Carlisle who was only staring Edward down. Edward stared back intently.

"There's no point keeping him alive, Carlisle...I can see his mind, his thoughts...It's evil." The words left his mouth with great tension, though the man's face was cam now, stern and calm just like Carlisle.

"He was going to kill her...he'll kill them too. His friends. Whatever the hell he is...it's evil. It's not like us. It's completely different...I didn't see it before." He pleaded his case firmly to the doctor. Carlisle, looked around, his brows furrowing more deeply. "We don't know enough...he's still a boy."

Edward looked to Sasuke, something...unsettling there. A deep disgust...perhaps even fear. Sakura hated anyone who would look at Sasuke that way, but—as she looked to Sasuke too she began to wonder why Edward would look at him that way.

"I don't care how young he is...that's not a boy. Not even when he was human." Edward stared with great knowing at the writhing, wounded vampire. Under that disgust, Sakura saw a glimpse of pity...sadness in Edward;s eyes. Could he...have known about Sasuke? About his family? His dream?


	8. We Just Wanna Go Home Guys!

Sakura's eyes were still filled with tears. She wanted to say something, counter what Edward was saying...but something told her that...none of them really knew what they were dealing with anymore. Whatever Sasuke had become...it was alien to all of them. Even Sasuke himself had expressed his fears of what he thought he might be capable of...outside of his control.

She looked to Sasuke again, teeth gritting together at the state he was in. Sasuke coughed, a heavy amount of blood leaving his mouth and leaking past those fearsome teeth. Slitted pupils darted left and right, reflecting how much more fight he really had left in him even after all of that. He was calmer though, struggling only in brief jerking motions while Emmett held him. Relief from the sun's rays had taken some of the desperation out of him. Now he was coldly calculating his surroundings as he calmed down. Whether he would actually calm down like last time was still uncertain. He was still....wild, not himself but his behavior suggested that he was still keen on everything that was going on, instinct driving him accordingly.

“What do you guys know!? You really think we're just going to sit back and let you kill him!?” Naruto shouted suddenly, emotion still thick in his tone, anger and sadness. “Sasuke's not just some monster!” The wolves didn't need to hold Naruto back like before, moving out of the way slightly as he spoke. The poor ninja was naked under them but covered himself well enough, shouting defiantly at Edward. The vampire looked at him flatly. 

“You know there could be a possibility that you're wrong about that...some extinct species of vampires could be a lot different from us. Stronger...more primal, even harder to control. Some of us are monsters too...but I'm starting to think the cultist's reasons for bringing back this old species were based around this power and evil. Using it...to end the world, or some other insanity. What if so long ago...every human that became a vampire was damned to this monstrous nature? I can see it in his thoughts, how deeply in runs in his veins.”

“Yeah? What if, what if? I don't care who's mind you can read, it's not your business! What if's don't give you the right to just kill him!” Naruto all but screamed at him. “Sasuke's not a monster, he's a huge jerk sometimes but he's a good person! You don't know anything about him so back off!” He glared at Edward, blue eyes stark in the morning light. Sakura half-expected them to be blood red, slitted. That happened when Naruto got really upset, usually....

“Do I have to remind you he almost killed Renesmee? We have every right to address this danger. We have the rest of Forks to worry about too. Dangerous vampires need to be killed to protect us all. He's no different.” Edward countered, still very serious, angry.

Jacob barked in strong agreement, snarling angrily at Sasuke. The wolf still looked prepared and eager to tear into him again.

“Edward...” Bella said quietly, still clutching Renesmee closely as she whimpered. Her eyes were pleading.

Edward narrowed his eyes, wincing slightly as he still stared at Naruto. “I understand you've known him a long time. But since you all came out of that cult's lair, things are different now. He isn't the same. Unless you mean to argue that this is how he usually acts?” A hint of exasperation entered his tone.

Naruto winced too, looking at Sasuke with pained blue eyes. For a moment, Sasuke met his gaze, those slitted eyes still cold and unblinking. The blonde-haired loud mouth was actually silent for a few long seconds. “You really think there's nothing we can do...?” He asked, looking at Edward again, directing the question at him. 

Edward frowned slightly, still angry but thinking, the both of them looked stumped. A longer silence passed. Sakura wanted to speak, she really did but her throat felt like a lump of iron was stuck in it. She could only watch. Renesmee watched a little more curiously now, staring past Edward at Sasuke for a time. The big one, probably Emmett chuckled, sighing. 

“Maybe the little guy's just thirsty?” He attempted to shrug off the tension, even though he'd been participating in the battle as well. He leaned down to look Sasuke in the eyes, even if Sasuke still looked like he would tear his face off at the first opportunity. “Solves my grumpy problems, eh, Rose?” He looked to the fair-haired female vampire, grinning. She looked less than impressed with the joke, perhaps still horrified from the event of the battle...most of them were. Sakura blinked silently, still not knowing quite what these people meant about sating their “bloodlust”. They talked about it so casually but Sakura just couldn't. Drinking people's blood? How could that ever seem casual? Maybe he had a point though. Ever since Sasuke had changed he hadn't drank any blood. If he needed it....was it worth a try?

The last male vampire nodded to their questions. He was blonde too, a more quiet look about him. “Feels about right...there's a lot going on in his head still though, right Edward?”

Edward nodded. “It's hard to distinguish fluid thoughts but he's definitely thirsty.” He spoke tensely still but he was looking more defeated by the situation.

“Seems worth the try then, there's still so little we know about these extinct vampires after all. Tests to run. Time to spare. We'll keep him in close restraints until then for all of our safety, Edward. If you see anything Alice, please let us know.” Carlisle took the lead, the other female vampire with the short hair nodded to his words. She must have been Alice. Sakura was confused by what Carlisle meant but she was thankful that peace seemed to be winning once again. Edward and Jacob gave a last glare at Sasuke but they remained silent after that, Jacob snorting in disgruntlement and Edward going to join Bella and Renesmee. It was easier to see now what Renesmee was to them, Sakura was surprised since Bella and Edward still looked pretty young.

Naruto still struggled to cover himself properly, blushing a little as he gave up and moved to hide in the bushes like Sasuke had tried to do. Sakura cautiously moved that way too, noting that her arms and knees were shaking a little. The vampires talked away to each other but Sakura couldn't pay attention anymore. She was at her limit with handling information today... “Are you okay...?” She finally spoke, barely a murmur to Naruto. He nodded a little sullenly, staring Sasuke's direction. 

“I wish we could just go home....”

Sasuke seemed calmer and calmer, looking their way now with something that looked like recognition in his eyes. He still looked off though...far away. Sakura finally broke down, leaning on Naruto's bare shoulder, just wishing Sasuke would look away. Naruto gritted his teeth, Sakura could hear it. He was probably trying not to cry too.

“Hey, idiot...where did your clothes go?”


	9. Wanting to Eat Your Friends

The voice was suddenly there, a familiar sound that Sakura had never been happier to hear in her life. She pulled her head up again, wiping her tears. Slitted pupils still stared back at her but that onyx color still seemed warmer somehow as Sasuke spoke to them. Almost as if he'd not spoken in years it felt. His voice was different maybe...more—beautiful than before? Sakura didn't dwell on it. "Sasuke?" Naruto said in disbelief. Sasuke was still caught by the hair, perhaps a little dazed as he looked at them. The pain of his injuries showed in his eyes. "Don't tell me what happened..." He said seriously, looking downward as if he didn't want to know what was going on at all. As Sakura watched though she realized there might have been more to it. Sasuke's eyes were widened, his shoulder's shaking. She could see the tension quickly returning to his limbs, as if he were restraining himself from moving. Emmett still held him there, looking concerned a moment before his face brightened again.

"See? There he is, just needs something to drink now. He's doing pretty good now, honestly." His eyes moved to Naruto and Sakura. "Two tasty humans right there and no snapping." He looked to Edward, silent then as he smirked. It was all in good fun though, one could tell. Almost like playful teasing. Brotherly teasing. Sakura understood now what Emmett meant, why Sasuke was shaking like that. It was just like when he first changed. He didn't want to hurt his friends...it probably hurt to be so close to them like this... She watched Sasuke in deep worry, wanting to speak up as she wiped her eyes.

"Just shut up..." Sasuke suddenly growled between his teeth before Sakura could open her mouth. He was angry, very angry but Sakura could hear it in his voice no matter how much he lowered his head. It was that fear again. "Quit making it sound so damn casual..." The tense comment flooded with more emotion, Sasuke lifting his head to look around at them, eyes slightly watered. "I want to kill people, drink their blood, whatever. None of it's okay, if-" He grit his teeth. "-If you're not going to kill me, if you think that's an option...if you think you can help..." His eyes drifted from each strangely beautiful face of the Cullens. "...Then do it. I don't want to hurt my friends, or you, or anyone...I can't trust myself-"

"-So you must trust us, right?" Carlisle spoke up calmly, remaining serious but there was compassion there as well. He seemed to understand what Sasuke is saying. "And that, you can. I give you my word. If there is a way to help, we will find it, if it should mean we won't have to kill you. If you'd rather not chance it however...we can simply find a way to kill you. If you feel you no longer have a desire to continue, to risk it. That much would be reasonable with an existence like ours; but there is always another way...Monster or not. My family strives to prove that much in our kind." He looked around at the Cullens, the wolves. Alice beamed and nodded genuinely, soon the others followed too, though Bella and Rosalie gave smaller nods, expressions still concerned. Edward gave no or reply, merely staring at Sasuke silently. Sasuke followed Carlisle's gaze, Sakura and Naruto too.

"Don't worry, kid. Chin up and we'll figure it out." Emmett said and sort of noogied his restrained hair. Sakura stared at Sasuke again, meeting his gaze. He nodded but seemed to go quiet. Naruto breathed a little in relief, looking at Sakura. He still looked unsure for now, all of these dangerous strangers and still so much mystery but maybe it all could look up now if these people really could help Sasuke...without killing him.

**"Guess it's back to the original plan after all..."**

Sakura smiled a little at the familiar voice in her head again.

**"Trusting these weird people?"**

**"They're not any weirder than us if you think about it..."**

**"Yeah, I guess you're right. Could be a good thing though, right? Even if they did try to kill you...I think they had good intentions...we can trust that doctor at least. He seems like he's on everyone's side. Even if they're scared too."** Sakura tried to make eye contact with him again but he pretended to stare off.

Sasuke's mind shied away a little bit, but he seemed to just be thinking a moment or two about what she'd said.

**"Sakura...?"**

**"Hm?"**

**"Are you scared of me too? Do...you think Naruto is?"**

Sakura was thrown off by the question at first but it was a reasonable one as she thought about it. She mustered courage to reply.

**"Naruto's not really afraid of anything, we both know that. As for me...I don't know what to think. But...I trust you Sasuke. I always will."**

Another silence.

**"Could you promise me something then..?"**

**"Anything."** Sakura smiled a little as he looked at her. His face was calm but grim.

**"I want you to to promise to be afraid...very afraid. At least for now."**

Sakura nodded to the words, understanding. **"I promise...as long as you promise not to beat yourself up. I think we can figure this out. Even if we have to go back to the village."**

Sasuke looked off, tension a little lessened. **"Right."**


	10. One Step at a TIme

“Sakura, you alright?” Naruto whispered, looking between her and Sasuke. Sakura realized she probably looked spacey if not a little crazy while she communicated telepathically with Sasuke. Sasuke was much better at looking like nothing was going on, just brief eye contact. 

“How did you change back?” Sasuke asked suddenly, voice still a little tense as he was likely still suppressing those frightening bloodthirsty urges. He had every right to sound a bit tense, Sakura thought. Naruto blinked at the sudden change of subject but went with it, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Uhhh, I don't really know. It just sort of happened. I still feel weird though...I still smell a lot of things...hear things.” He looked around. “You think I'll change into that thing again?” He seemed reluctant but not concerned. 

Sasuke nodded. “You still smell different...Honestly...if you hadn't been that thing...I don't know what would have happened.” He looked down again, voice quiet.

Naruto's eyes were sad a moment but he soon beamed, Sasuke blinking at him. “Don't worry Sasuke, just means I'll keep you in check! Besides, you're not all -that- strong.”

Emmett laughed. 

“Children of the Moon...don't think anyone here knows much about them but we'll figure it out. Sounds like a plan though kiddies, now lets get rolling. You need some shorts, little man?” He looked to Naruto. Sasuke stared at Naruto in a sort of bewilderment, staying quiet now though, hopefully comforted by the blonde's words.

Naruto flushed a little. “Uhhh, yeah...that'd be nice.” Despite his usual behavior, Naruto had been shocked and embarassed into a sort of shell Sakura hadn't seen him in before. She could hardly blame him, considering how she was probably acting out of her own realization. All of Team 7 were definitely out of their element here...

Emmett chuckled again, looking toward the wolves. “Hey, any of you furballs got any shorts to spare? Don't think he can change back like you guys can. Not yet anyway—and where's my arm?” The vampire looked around with a sigh. 

“Over here, I'll get it.” Rosalie said quietly. As she spoke up, some of the other vampires started acting a little more lively, conversing quietly or gravitating toward Renesmee and Bella. Edward was at Carlisle's side now, talking too quiet for Sakura to hear. She looked away as he glanced at her.

One of the wolves hesitated before trotting over to Naruto, lifting a leg where a pair of jean shorts were tied. The young ninja untied them awkwardly, staring at how huge they were once unfolded. They'd have to do though. “Th-thanks.”

Sakura breathed in quiet relief, getting on her feet as she tried not to look at Sasuke's injuries again. His nearly skeletal arms, bleeding tears in his skin from claws and teeth alike. Would they heal quickly or just stay like that? And why wasn't Sasuke dead from blood loss or worse? Would Naruto turn into that thing again, and when? She tried to clear her head of all the questions as she would surely only come up with more. These strangers knew what to do...or seemed to, and she would trust that for now, just like Sasuke said... 

Going back to the village should have been their first option....but there was nothing in any ninja handbook about vampires and werewolves. Expertise was here in “Forks” for those things it would seem. 

Rosalie and Alice helped Emmett get his ar back on, though it was unclear to Sakura how that actually worked as they were gathered around the pale appendage. He flexed it a little, nodding in thanks before helping Sasuke to his feet. Alice leaned down a little to look at him with a friendly smile. Sasuke only gave his usual uninterested routine but at least that was normal for once.

“You're cute for a rampaging killing machine. Need to smile more though.” She joked, looking between each of the ninja trio thoughtfully, smirking now. “Now, you _have_ to tell me, what is with the hair in this group? Do I need to see a new stylist or what? I'm being outdone by twelve-year olds.” She said dramatically. Sakura had the feeling she was trying to lighten the mood like Emmett had, but she had an interesting way of going about it.

Naruto had just pulled on his shorts, laughing. “What are you talking about? I don't do anything to my hair.” He rubbed his blonde spikes with one hand, needing the other to hold up the jean shorts. “Sasuke was born like that, and Sakura--” He looked to her, nodding after a moment. “She was born like that too. I think.”

“Of course this is natural, you idiot! You've known me since we were eight.” Sakura actually fumed, surprised she was able to in this situation. Alice laughed light-heartedly at them, walking voer to Sakura very suriously. “Natural pink? Can't say I've heard of that before but it's very pretty. You have to let me do something with it later, okay?” She got right in Sakura's face, those amber eyes bright as any of the other Cullens. 

“You can say no.” Emmett whispered to Sakura, grinning like an imp.

Sakura was caught off guard by Alice's forwardness but nodded a little. “Okay, I guess that's fine.” She smiled back at Alice beamed like she'd won something, prancing off elsewhere to talk to Bella. Sasuke watched after her with a slight grimace. 

“She better not touch my hair...”


	11. Prodigy of Uncertainty

Sasuke knew he probably should have felt in worse condition considering most of his arms were missing. He wasn't one to be squeamish but there was just something extra disturbing about so much flesh being missing and not feeling the agony of it like he should have. The pain was annoying but honestly manageable. What wasn't so manageable was the bone-dry aching in his throat and the ceaseless throbs that shook through him, the pain of sheer need. As much as he would try to make it seem otherwise, every moment spent in Naruto and Sakura, even those wolves' presence worsened this pain and thirst. Tempted him back into those dark, animalistic thoughts. To his body, his mind; it all felt so natural. Like attacking and possibly killing all of these sources of blood, people, was normal and right. Yet in his conscious mind he shoved such thoughts fiercely away. He could only do so for so long though...this he knew. Anxiety churned inside him over what would come next. These people promised to help...but could they? And even if they could, it would mean Sasuke had to drink fresh blood from a living person's veins. That...he still didn't like.

Not even Itachi's blood.

What scared him the most as the fact he could feel it in his heart that...despite how he felt about that now. Once he tasted that copper...that precious calling on his tongue...everything might change. How he felt about all of it. Who he was... He knew it was that powerful...this need he now had. Some dark thought entered his mind...one that even quoted his own words at one point in time: He said he would sell his flesh to the devil for power...no matter what it meant for him, his mind, his feelings. Avenging his clan, killing his brother, that was all that mattered...

No matter what it took...

Was he so weak he would go back on his word?--

“Sasuke.”

Sasuke startled out of his thoughts, looking toward the source of the voice, one that had only spoken his name once before. 

Edward narrowed his eyes at the young ninja knowingly. Crap...

Sasuke winced very slightly under the gaze but he held his stony expression. He spoke in a cold, stubborn voice. “You can still kill me, you know...”

“I just might.” Was all Edward said, turning away to go as Emmett, Carlisle and most of the rest watched after him. Worry and disapproval.

Sasuke grit his teeth, looking down. Anger bubbled inside him and mixed well with the bloodthirsty urges. 

Naruto and Sakura both looked to Sasuke in unison, worried. Naruto's worry quickly turned to defiance though and he snorted derisively. “Like he has any right to talk all high and mighty like that...with _that_ hairdo...“ 

Sasuke silently thanked the sassy words, but he knew very well how serious all of this was.

Sakura quickly tried to shush the fiery blonde, scolding him under her breath but Sasuke heard every word. “Naruto! We need to be respectful, they've offered to help us, I know it's hard--”

“Oh, _WE_ need to be respectful, Sakura? You don't see me or Sasuke threatening to--”

Sasuke cut him off.

“Naruto. It's fine...can we just go?” He asked everyone, still not looking up though.

“Yeah...” Emmett answered, Carlisle nodding with a sigh some distance away, turning away from Edward. Edward had joined Bella and Renesmee again. As Sasuke looked up a little he saw Bella staring at him with a conflicted expression. The monster who'd almost killed her daughter. Anger turned instantly to guilt once again and Sasuke turned to walk away from the group, dragging Emmett with him if he had to as the burly vampire still had a hold on his hair.

“Woah, --wait up, Sassy-ka, what was your name again?”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Most followed quickly as Sasuke lead the way, following the multiple scents that had come from the vampires and Sakura as they'd left their home to pursue the near-disaster Sasuke had caused. He moved at a slow enough pace for Naruto and Sakura to follow, not wanting to be too far apart from them, even if it did help his thirst to be as far away from them as possible. They were somewhere a few feet behind him and Emmett as they walked. 

**“Are you okay?”** Sakura asked a little tentatively, Sasuke thankful she didn't ask out loud. He was thankful for her to be in his head...strange as that sounded to him. It was better than Edward being there at least... Someone who cared about him over someone who only judged him. Even if it was rightly so...

**“I don't know. I don't want to think about it anymore...”**

**“Sasuke...”**

“Sasuke..?” Carisle interrupted their conversation unknowingly, walking alongside Sasuke and Emmett as he spoke calmly, somehow genuinely concerned. Sasuke didn't get it. “I know it's silly to ask if you're feeling alright, as you're probably more than famished right now, we'll see to that immediately as possible, but are your wounds bothering you? Specifically?” His amber eyes scanned over Sasuke's arms and torso. Sasuke shook his head gently, not looking at him. 

Carlisle nodded, probably expecting the answer.

“Once your friends are inside and safe.” He said this much quieter, Sasuke looking at him in response to the drastic change in tone. “It will be time to feed...if you are ready. And it will also be time to learn.” The words came a little more darkly or no—perhaps just more significantly as they seemed. Sasuke was an extinct species, a mystery to these other vampires... Still not a comforting thought.

“But try not to worry...hm?” Carlisle smiled warmly.


	12. A Tasteful Beat

The Cullen house was an odd-looking building to the three ninja, Sakura hadn't really taken it in last time she was here. Outside the home were large shiny metal things that appeared to be vehicles of some sort, judging by the wheels. It was known these strange vehicles existed in the outside world by ninja but those as young as Team 7 certainly hadn't seen anything of them yet. If Sakura recalled, they were called “cars”, similarly to that of train “cars”. Trains, they had seen before but these these were very different than trains. Naruto stared blatantly at them as they approached, muttering to Sakura. 

“Lots of metal and glass around here...” 

They both looked to the house which had so many glass doors and windows Sakura worried about it's stability. Sasuke, Emmett and Carlisle walked up ahead, the sunlight shining through the trees behind everyone in large rays as the sun continued to climb. It was then....Sakura finally saw it, a glimmering coming from the two vampires aside from Sasuke. Was that...sparkling? Was their skin sparkling? What the heck!? Sakura blinked widely at the sight, honestly not sure what to think. She'd seen a lot of strange things in the world of ninja but people sparkling...That, she had not seen...She stared at it, looking again to Sasuke who was not sparkling, not at all. In fact the faint sounds of his skin searing in tiny passing rays of sunlight could still be heard, causing him to flinch and grit his teeth, moving away as best as he could. So not all vampires sparkled... Sakura looked to Naruto too, wondering what he thought. He saw the look on her face, furrowing his blonde eyebrows in confusion. 

“What, Sakura?”

“They're...” She looked to the vampires again in indication.

Naruto appeared more confused, looking where she did.

“Sparkling? Yeah, did you just notice?” He grinned and laughed a little. “Talk about blind, Sakura.”

Sakura stuttered once, looking back at the faint sparkling of pale skin. How could he have seen that without the sun?

Did...did Naruto just have better vision than her now? A light sinking feeling arose in Sakura now as she fully realized...Being human meant she was not only ordinary compared to the other two...but now probably useless, more than before... Not that Sakura truly thought herself useless...but...was she...now? Maybe?--

**“Sakura.”**

**“Yes, Sasuk--”**

**“Quit it.”**

**“Okay...”**

Sakura quickly abandoned that train of thought at Sasuke's firm command, a little flushed in the face, maybe for more reason than one. She looked up for his gaze but he was turned away. Sasuke and Carlisle stood at the door now while Carlisle spoke with Esme, who appeared worried, though it wasn't clear exactly why. Sakura stole another nervous glance at Naruto before Carlisle turned to them, Esme smiling at them a little now, invitingly. 

“Alright, Naruto, and Sakura...would you wait here for the time being? We're going to take Sasuke hunting now, try not to worry. If all goes well we should be back soon and we'll be in a much better place then when we started, surely.” The man announced, Sasuke silent beside him.  
Naruto swallowed, furrowing his brows but not speaking up. Rare for him.

“Yes?” Carlisle asked, looking to the young ninja.

“Uh...You're not hunting... _people_ , are you?” Naruto asked, a squeamish look on his face. Sasuke winced slightly, glancing to Carlisle as he spoke again.

“Not at all. That isn't something we do. Vampires can survive off of more than...human blood.” He assured though Sakura sensed something uncertain in his voice. He smiled all the same though, looking between them. “So, will you wait here with Esme and the others for now? I believe you have a salon date with Alice?” He chuckled lightly.

Sakura was surprised at his answer. Vampires didn't have to drink human blood? Did they just...want to then? Sasuke looked similarly surprised, glancing to Naruto and Sakura with that same apprehension from earlier. He wouldn't speak, but his face said it all. He wasn't at all sure about any of this, but he was going along willingly. What did any of them know, anyway? This informative doctor Carlisle seemed to have at least some of the answers. Answers that they might not find even back at the village. 

Sakura nodded to the mood-lightening words, or the attempt at least. “Yeah...we can do that, right, Naruto?” She looked to the blue-eyes ninja and he nodded, smiling more brightly. 

“Just bring him back safe and no one gets a rasengan to the face” He said with a teasing grin. Of course none of these outsiders knew what that even meant. With a chuckle and reassurance, Carlisle and Sasuke proceeded to set out. A few wolves tagging along for “safety reasons”as well as Edward. They could put it however they wanted. Sakura knew they meant to use any force necessary now to prevent another rampage from Sasuke. Edward, maybe even for more personal reasons. For now her and Naruto would simply have to pray.

\----

Sasuke, despite his strength being, well....who know how many times what it was before, felt sluggish, lethargic as he followed after Carlisle and Edward, six wolves joining them now not far behind. Their canine huffs and padding of paws on the soft earth somehow set the ninja on edge. Their giant glugging hearts gave a very different set of instincts but honestly did not do much to provoke his appetite. As much as he desperately needed blood, their blood seemed rather gross perhaps. Sasuke swallowed a bit of dry saliva at the thought, wondering what that blood might taste like. He'd tasted blood. It was metallic, sort of salty. Burned the throat. Very likely it would taste different to him now.

The two vampires walked ahead, Edward just behind Carlisle. Sasuke knew the vampire's presence was completely out of spite...even if it was somehow still to keep the village of Forks safe, or his family members, Sasuke knew the man despised him, wanted any excuse for him to be gone. Sasuke would just have to prove him wrong then... With that new purpose, Sasuke felt some more power in his limbs again, a confidence to go through with this. Carlisle kept quiet and calm as he lead on, not having to look back at Sasuke to check on him, nor did Edward. Their heightened senses did that for them, Sasuke thought. He understood too. He could sense every movement of the looming wolves behind him without so much as a thought. His mind processed so much more than it used to, faster, better. He wondered a moment how this might be useful in combination with his sharingan--

“Here we are.”

Carlisle said in a low thrum, audible, but probably not to anyone with any less than superhuman ears. Edward stayed quiet, just watching Sasuke. 

Sasuke looked around, his instincts calling him immediately to find the food waiting. The food that was supposed to be there according to Carlisle. His head turned this way and that, many things filling his senses but nothing that caught any particular attention from his intense thirst. He looked to Carlisle a moment, confused. 

“Get the elk.” Edward said as if Sasuke were a three-year old. Elk?

Sasuke bit back his temper and looked again, senses pinpointing that heartbeat he remembered in the clearing up ahead. Thick and warm and....still very gross. Worse than the wolves blood by far. He tried not to grimace. Carlisle looked mildly concerned but nodded. 

“Not the tastiest choice at first smell, but you might change your mind once you taste it?”

No thank you...If Sasuke was drinking any blood, it certainly wasn't going to be that.

Edward raised his eyebrows in almost a sassy manner, as if he'd won. Sasuke couldn't go through with it.

Fine...

Sasuke mustered courage, and maybe something spiteful of his own as he crouched, moving toward the creature. He went slowly at first before realizing it wasn't necessary. His footsteps made no sound as they touched the grass, or at least nothing any elk would hear. It all became less and less appealing as he got closer, the thick brown fur, weighted moist breath. It just wasn't...right. This wasn't food. He tried to focus on his thirst though, how much he knew he needed that elk's life force. It did little...but as the female elk neared a patch of shadows, Sasuke coiled to spring..., still avoiding the sun like the hellfire it was. He was close enough to see, but the elk was so unaware as the ninja leaped from the brush, tackling with many times the force he probably needed to take the creature down, splintering bones and shattering its skull as it slammed into the ground, a full set of fangs in its jugular now, hot life force tearing free as it tried to scream. It was alarming even to him how he'd crushed the animal, not at all meaning to. Renesmee flashed briefly in his mind before he fully realized...this still tasted really gross! He almost spat the elk's neck out, gagging openly as his stomach rejected the fluid. No. No, no, no, that was not right an every one of Sasuke's instincts told him so. He might have even felt thirster as he spat the...

His eyes moved upward as a new sound filled his ears, one he was shocked didn't notice sooner... The sound itself seemed to ring through him. Beat by beat. Sasuke could feel all control slipping right past his fingers again, could feel himself letting it before he even thought to do differently. 

Kakashi was frozen in place, openly horrified in his one eye as he took in the sight of one of his students covered in blood, crouched over a gasping elk with its neck savagely locked in his teeth. Slitted eyes crazed now as they stared back at him.

“S—Sasuke?”


	13. Scarecrows Don't Work on Vampires, Sensei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one's so short again! Just wanted to give a short update since I know the next part is going to take a bit with work going on and stuff. 

Kakashi backed up one step, truly not expecting such a sight. Even with all the horrors he'd seen in his life already...this was new, and admittedly frightening. What had done this to Sasuke? He didn't look right, those eyes, the blood, his mortal injuries, and the elk? The now lifeless animal finally thumped to the ground, last gasp proving just as futile as the rest. The young ninja let it fall, still staring piercingly at Kakashi, something truly murderous in his eyes. The jonin reflexively drew a kunai when he saw Sasuke's dripping teeth, sharpened into menacing fangs that he now bared. If there was anything Kakashi didn't see coming more than that...it was the sudden speed at which Sasuke suddenly sprang at him, faster than they eye could even track, and how could he have thought to use his Sharingan against a mere genin!? Kakashi was hit with massive impact, air leaving his lungs in an instant and making him all the more vulnerable as Sasuke threw him to the forest floor and sprang again....teeth sinking into the man's throat. Kakashi couldn't muster a scream through his mask, he couldn't fight back—how was Sasuke so strong!? Was this even him, or some kind of doppelganger monster?! Sasuke's chakra was not the same either, similar but different. Evil almost. It was very powerful, that was for sure. Kakashi only barely fought, able to at least land correctly, curling so his neck did not break under Sasuke's brute strength. What was happening? Why did Kakashi feel so weak suddenly? There was nothing more the jonin could process before a mass of fur was suddenly over them, giant canine teeth latching into Sasuke's own pale neck. Then there were suddenly more! They were wolves! Giant wolves, tearing Sasuke away from Kakashi, those deadly fangs detaching only barely. Kakashi could have had his throat ripped out just now! A screech filled the air, like some unholy cry, ceasing his heart in his chest. Kakashi had not been ready for this, coming to look for his students...

\----------

Sasuke was, as one could plainly see, furious as he was torn away from his only meal thus far, so, so close to feeling some sort of relief in his new body! He had drawn blood from Kakashi, at least a pint rushing past his lips in nearly an instant but it was not nearly enough. As soon as the warm and vital fluid had brought relief, it was gone, teeth tearing into his flesh and ripping him away from his prey. However, the blood he had gotten was doing miraculous work already, a loud hissing leaving his wounds as they suddenly regenerated muscle and flesh, sealing shut to look new once again. Not only that but the young vampire could feel the power it brought, even that small amount of blood. It was all that his body needed, rejuvenating him. The elk's blood had done nothing. With all sense gone from his mind once again, Sasuke laughed in the midst of the wolves attacking him, a wild thrill empowering him. That's right, he was a monster, for sure now...Carlisle was wrong, and now he would kill all of them. And then...he had so much more blood to take from his cowering sensei...


	14. Chapter 14: Collateral Damage...

“Kill him!” Edward shouted sharply

“Just wait--” Carlisle began but Edward cut him off.

“Carlisle--trust me...” Edward almost pleaded, anger edging every word still.

The doctor did not reply again, the wolves ramping up their attacks on Sasuke now. The vampires voices were soon drowned out by the snarling and barking all around him. He could still hear them, but their senseless chatter meant nothing. Nothing but blood mattered to Sasuke right now...These wolves would be first. They circled and snapped, not leaving one opening for Sasuke to move if they could help it. But...with strength and speed that only a ninja could wield so skillfully, beyond every human limit, and grace further brought to every movement of muscle in his powerful new body....he outwitted them, danced around them, and broke them, dominating the battlefield like every ninja should. With every skillful dodge came a deadly punch or kick from Sasuke, red flashing in sinister waves across his vision, blurring what sense he had even further. His fangs ached in need, muscles screaming for more violence. Kakashi's blood stung on his tongue. Murderous thoughts fueled his movements. And it was all without resistance; Sasuke was a bloodthirsty killing machine now. He knew it was the blood's doing. Raving madness of the most primal sort. Guess he wasn't going to prove himself after all... 

As well as snarling and growling; yelps, whines, screams...soon came. The wolves buckled and rolled under brutal hits, none fatal thus far. This was partly because every time Sasuke tried to go for a collapsed wolf, it's bretheren were there leaping in to distract. Some were undoubtedly very hurt though, every wolf escaping without death, a miracle. There were two remaining, barking frantically at eachother while Edward and Carlisle seemed to coordinate with them. Sasuke stood between them, snarling, eyes flickering to the bleeding Kakashi a singular moment. He was some distance away laying against a tree with eye wide open as he watched. He hadn't realized it at first but it had distracted him, the instincts fixating him so strongly on the throbbing heart in the man's chest. Edward took advantage of this, dashing forward suddenly in Sasuke's moment of weakness. It was almost an effective strategy... Only, once the vampire had attacked, a vicious punch to Sasuke's throat; he had gone in alone, vulnerable after the fraction of a second it took for the ninja to recover from the punch. Sasuke staggered, but his slitted eyes fell only on Edward now. Something in Sasuke smiled in dark delight when he saw the fear in the other vampire's eyes. 

**“Sasuke?”**

A small voice, barely piercing the veil of madness. A flash of pink in all of the red. It was almost truly visible in Sasuke's eyes, burning into his vision. A scent consumed his senses. Cherry blossoms...Apples. Edward's foot suddenly connected violently with his skull, his quite literally biting the dirt before he could think another thought.

**“Sasuke? Please answer me...”**

Sasuke blinked on the ground, rising with a ferocious snarl at Edward, the sound as inhuman as the rest of his thoughts. For some reason he couldn't tell who's voice was in his head. He forgot the name of the one before him. The man against the tree's heart pounded in his ears. Before he knew it, he didn't know who Sasuke was either... His sharp mind emptied of coherent thought, a low and building growl in his chest as he stared at the fangless vampire in front of him. The two remaining wolves closed on on either side of his opponent to support him. Slowly, Sasuke backed away from them, still baring his fangs. His mind was falling away from vendetta and violence, the need for blood proving itself more important than that right now. Instinct was taking over utterly now. It told him that there was blood elsewhere than here. Blood that would be much easier to take. 

“No!” The fangless vampire roared, lunging forward.

**“Sasuke!”**

Sasuke turned on his heel, leaping so quickly out of sight the wolves and vampire had no chance in the world to stop him from that. He took to the trees, claws assisting him in tearing through branches and bark to make his way toward the next scent of blood. His assailants dashed quickly after him, the second fangless vampire staying behind with the failed prey. Too bad they were so slow...


	15. The Girl Who Cried Vampire

It was very difficult for Naruto to keep up with any of this. Honestly he had just wanted to lay down the moment they got inside the huge glassish house owned by these “Cullens”, they had revealed themselves to be. The young ninja wasn't sure he understood...So none of these people were related? Or some of them were? But they all had the same family name? The idea only had his head in a spin so he tried to focus on other things... There wasn't much to distract him in the area of smells like outside. Inside here almost smelled...too clean. As for his surroundings; Sakura was here next to him on the sofa but she was staring off into space... Alice was across from them on another seat with her eyes closed which he wasn't sure he should point out verbally...And the rest of them were either standing around doing nothing, or staring at him AND standing around doing nothing. Clearly, as hopeful and calm as things had seemed when Sasuke left with Edward and Carlisle and the wolves, everyone was still pretty on edge and anxious about it, or at least entertained enough that they couldn't find other things to do while they waited for their return. Or maybe these weirdo vampires were just like this?

Naruto swallowed too audibly as he looked around, trying not to make eye contact with the ones staring at him.

“Soooooooo....” He began, hands on his bare knees as he took in a breath. He knew he sounded really awkward probably but he had to say something. Ramen was always a solid subject, right? Sounded so good right about now... “You guys know what ramen is here? Noodles and broth and--”

Sakura suddenly lurched forward as if startled out of a trance, Alice did the same in almost the same moment! Naruto stared wide eyed between both of them, mouth open in mid-sentence. 

“Woah! Bad thing, guys! Very bad thing!” Alice said quickly, standing up so quickly and fluidly it was impossible to tell she had just been sitting. Emmet and Rosalie and the other one with blonde hair looked completely ready for this, as if it had been what they were waiting around for possibly?

“Naruto!” Sakura reached over and tugged on Naruto's arm, looking frantic. “We need to go! Can you turn into that thing again?”

Naruto was still stunned. “Uh--” He glanced to the vampires where Alice was now explaining her apparent....something? Bad thing? Naruto was behind...

“What, Sakura? What's wrong?” He looked back at her. 

Sakura was in near hysterics, eyes watering already. “Kakashi sensei! S—Sasuke ran away somewhere, we need to find him!” She clutched the necklace around her neck in her hand and Naruto remembered what she'd been saying earlier about that... Mind-reading necklace, right! 

“Do you know where!? I don't know if I can--”Naruto almost panicked too. Kakashi sensei was here now!?

“Come on, I'll lead the way, there's no time, people are gonna die!” Alice blurted suddenly as she turned to look at them. The other Cullens looked almost as confused as Naruto. Probably more confused? No, Naruto had to be more confused... He leapt from his seat though, clutching the oversized shorts around his waist so they wouldn't fall. People were going to die!? Someone was at the door suddenly and all non-human heads turned to look as Carlisle calmly burst in with someone in his arms. Gray hair dramatically pouring out of the top of a ninja headband, mask, green jonin vest; Kakashi-sensei! Naruto smelled the blood before anything, hair standing up on the back of his neck.

“Sensei!”

Kakashi looked only half-conscious to Naruto's exclamation, one eye blinking wearily while he looked around. “Naruto?” 

“I'll be right back, sensei, gotta go get Sasuke!” He tried his best not to panic, remembering the “people were going to die” thing and rushing toward the door.

Sakura got up too, as quickly as her human legs could react but Naruto and Alice were already out the door. Sakura and Kakashi-sensei would be okay, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt leaving Sakura behind to worry. She should have been able to come. They were a team. But these were crazy times... If their own teacher had gotten hurt by Sasuke, Sakura was in even greater danger if she came along too. Naruto hoped to himself she could at least still talk to Sasuke with the necklace to see what was going on. 

“Be careful, Naruto!” She called and he nodded as he and Alice exited the house. Naruto could hear the tears in her eyes, the crying that constricted her throat and a steely determination came to him. 

“Okay, can you turn into a wolfman?” Alice asked, urgent. She looked at him with bright eyes, completely serious compared to earlier when she'd been admiring hair-do's. 

Naruto didn't have an answer to her question because he honestly didn't know...but he thought back, reaching down to find those instincts he remembered feeling in Sasuke's presence since he had become a vampire. That need to eliminate evil. Evil that was in Sasuke, or the evil his instincts told him was there. Innocent people were going to die....He needed to beat the evil. He needed to be a wolf—uh, thing to stop it from happening! He closed his eyes, trying to let the feeling take over his body too. At first he was afraid it would do nothing, what could wishing really hard do anyway? He had no other options but it still felt stupid. Before he gave up on it though he felt a spark of something. Something wolfy. Yes! As soon as it was realized the wolf-creature inside him seemed to swell from the inside, growing and growing until it could make it to the outside. He felt fur sprouting and the shorts he wore tightening until he could let them go. Before it was done he opened his eyes, looking dead ahead. The evil was that way... A rumble erupted in his throat. He knew Alice was still there but he wasn't paying attention to her anymore, charging ahead as those poor borrowed shorts ripped in half entirely, giant wolf muscles and a long furry tail taking their place. The thrill of the hunt, righteous or not filled him up and he ran, faster and faster toward where Sasuke was. Where he could feel he was, moving fast. Naruto's DNA was made for this somehow. 

“This way! I'm coming, buddy!” He barked, even if no one could understand!

Alice dashed after him, a few more coming behind her to follow too, more Cullens to join the hunt. Naruto lead them like a mighty general, even if he only half knew what he was doing. He knew one thing for sure. He was going to keep his promise to Sasuke and keep him in check. No matter what he found when he got there...


	16. Three Cheers for Undeath

Edward had thought himself pretty fast. He was the fastest of the vampires he knew. Every baseball game with his family reaffirmed his title. Sure there were probably vampires faster than him somewhere, but...Edward knew he was fast. 

Sasuke, however...blew ahead, tree to tree, practically gliding between each tear of claws into bark; at speeds Edward could hardly believe. Ninja could move very quickly and efficiently...now paired with supernatural speed that surpassed any ordinary vampire, that speed was more than doubled. Edward was almost dumbfounded, and despaired every inch the thirteen-year old rocketed ahead of he and Jacob toward innocent lives. The young vampire's mind was practically dripping with bloodlust and madness, more animal than human now. Instinct had replaced all motivations. It wasn't mindless, however. No...far from it; but it was extremely bad... Edward didn't understand enough about this vampire's mind to know if this meant he was gone for good or not. But there was no time to take chances. He needed to be put down...

The dark green canopies rushed above them, the connected trees like a winding maze. Every obstacle was calculated and avoided without a thought, all of Edward's mind devoted to how they were going to kill the rabid vampire. Ripping him apart didn't work, but fire...fire just might. He recalled some old vampire legends and stories, wondering if at least that much was true about these strange creatures. Could they be related species? Is this where the old inaccurate legends came from, some of them at least? The fangs and claws were just uncannily accurate to the old and new “Dracula” depictions. 

_"This is seriously bad! How are we supposed to catch him?!"_ Jacob's panicked thought reached Edward's, the wolves still somewhere behind. The anxiety from the rest of them was thick in the air too. An eerie cry up ahead answered their worst fears, the sudden sound of crunching metal and shouting reaching them. Edward couldn't run any faster but he tried desperately, despairing when he heard the pained screams of Sasuke's first victim. Breaking bones and blood spattered on paved road. Damnit, no.... It seemed eternity before they finally got there seconds later, dashing tirelessly ahead to see the young vampire bent over the lifeless body of a man, a truckdriver that had been ripped from his seat, right through the windshield. Jacob practically roared a howl as the pack moved in behind Edward. Sasuke turned in response, pale face flecked with his meal, arms and neck soaked in it. The poor driver's eyes were wide in terror, life long gone from him, throat torn out and ribs and spine crushed... Edward stared Sasuke in the eyes, that cold gaze. A child without any innocence left, replaced by a monster from an age past. As the wolves moved in, Edward leading the way, they all expected the ninja to run again, as outrunning them was apparently easy but instead he vanished behind the logging truck, another groan of metal causing them all to halt, feet and paws skidding on the road pavement.

 _“No way...”_ Jacob was otherwise speechless, as were the rest as they watched in awe.

The truck....weighing tons that Edward did not know...lifted from the ground, slowly of course as the child should not have been able to lift it....but he did, legs shaking only slightly as he glared back at the hunting party, daring them to move. Daring them to make him throw this thing. Edward could read from Sasuke's mind that he was showing off in a primal manner, trying to deter them from interrupting his feeding any longer. A show of strength. Of course Edward was colored impressed by the display, if not truly frightened...but...

“We need to kill him...we haven't tried fire yet, we haven't tried a lot of things. We need to think smart.” He said quickly to the wolves, mind racing over what could be done while the vampire was here, not running. Sasuke stared menacingly at Edward.

“The gas tank.” One of the wolves said in realization, the others practically snarling in eager agreement. 

Edward nodded, taking a deep breath before he stepped forward, slowly. If Sasuke threw the truck, good... Edward could take the hit and they needed him to throw it to get to the gas tank. The ninja watched his every move, baring his teeth in warning but Edward kept his approach. He even gave a taunting smile. It worked, the fanged vampire letting a growl tear from his throat, the sound deep in his chest before he lifted the truck higher, coiling muscles before heaving, throwing the massive segmented object with force Edward was somehow expecting. The steel screeched and groaned as it collided with the ground, the cargo of logs rolling out in tumbling chaos, breaking free of their restraints. Edward was ready, leaping backward before jumping over the truck, striking the gas tank effortlessly to free that sweet ethanol over the road, gushing. Sasuke leaped to meet him, fearless of the strange substance he didn't recognize to all of their relief. Jacob rounded the corner of the truck, barking at Sasuke, the others following, trying to herd him toward Edward and the gasoline, keep him from running. Edward took Sasuke's hit, backing into the dangerous flow of chemicals, letting them soak both of them. By now the ninja's eyes and nose were burning terribly and he backed off, screeching just as Jacob came behind him, striking the dry steel nearby with a sharp clawed paw.... The tiniest of sparks was all it took, heat blazing suddenly into the area as it caught flame. Edward did all he could to avoid it, leg catching before he could escape. Sasuke was completely on fire now, screeches intensifying as he thrashed, rolling around to no avail. The fire was very effective, burning through his flesh as if it were paper, down to blackening bone. A few of the wolves howled in victory while Jacob and the rest stared on. Maybe it was in contemplation for the boy's death, maybe it was just to watch to see if it was really over. Edward certainly didn't know how he felt as Sasuke finally collapsed, not dead but still burning helplessly, cries dying. 

“Edward!”

Alice's voice came from the trees along with a horrible whining and barking from what sounded like Naruto. It was unintelligible of course but Edward could read that the boy was seeing the blood, seeing the fire... His emotions were only growing for the death of his friend. Edward turned to meet them, looking less than pleased for the outcome likely. Sasuke was no longer moving within the flame. Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett were soon there too, moving slowly as they'd already guessed the outcome due to the victorious howls. “It's done...” Edward said to all of them anyway.

“But—but I saw it...” Alice protested, looking in muted horror at the dying blaze.

“Saw what?”

Naruto moved quickly past Edward and the wolves, canine ears pinned against the side of his head. He came to Sasuke's black skeleton, all that was left, sniffing it and nearly collapsing on shaky knees while wet tears stained the fur around his eyes. Edward did his best not to read his mournful thoughts. At least he wasn't angry...not yet anyway. At least he knew why it had to be done.

“I saw people die...A lot of people. Wh--” Alice looked on at the skeleton in confusion, eyes suddenly widening though as the fire died out...as the bare bones twitched suddenly. 

If Edward could have paled any more at the sight, he would have...


	17. GrIm Outlooks are for Losers

"What the hell..." Came a well-deserved comment from Emmett somewhere as Naruto could only look on in horror, leaning back a little as Sasuke's charred skeleton came to life, moving only slightly as there really was so little left of any muscle tissue, the werewolf was only now seeing it, the withered remains of tendons that twitched. Slowly though, that bit of tissue began to regenerate. Even bare bone sprouted the beginnings of flesh, fresh pink strands reaching across the gaps. The tiniest of microscopic growths. Naruto had no idea whether he should be relieved Sasuke was...alive...or if he should only be scared. It didn't help that this creature in no way resembled Sasuke now.

The process of regeneration quickened, the vampire pushing up from the ground with a skinless arm, such a horrific sight it sent a wave of nausea through Naruto. Organs pulsed from under a mostly open ribcage, a grotesque pink tongue formed behind a skeletal grin. Naruto tore his gaze away to look around at the rest of the onlookers, most frozen in fascination or maybe fear. Would no one do something!? What should they do?! Panic set in and Naruto could feel himself shaking.

Edward snarled in frustration. "How do we kill him!?" He sounded a mixture of emotions, not all of them angry or fearful. No one replied and one of the giant wolves suddenly dove in, tearing into the fresh tissue of Sasuke's nearly reformed body. The vampire was at a point to put up a fight, sinking newly white teeth into fur but the wolf pushed the attack ,now joined by the others. Anything to keep Sasuke down. Rosalie covered her mouth and looked away, Jasper looking as if he wanted to do the same. Naruto wanted to help but he—he couldn't... He couldn't attack Sasuke, not if it meant trying to kill him. But he promised...

Reacting to Rosalie it seemed, Emmett suddenly stepped in, shouting as he pushed a wolf aside to get to Sasuke underneath them. One loud thud later...everything stopped. With the wolves' help, the burly vampire was able to strike Sasuke in the head. Hard enough to knock him out it would seem.

Though hesitant, the pack of wolves began to back off, looking down at the nude, but completely reformed Sasuke as wounds closed. Emmett spoke quietly, Naruto just now realizing the tears running down his furry cheeks. Was he really that scared? Horrified?

Edward opened his mouth but Emmett spoke first.

"We're taking him back to Carlisle. Lock him up, whatever we have to do..." He glanced at the dead man next to the ruins of the giant metal thing with wheels, for once not a hint of the usual smile the vampire wore. No one argued, only silence following the statement. One of those tense, reflective silences. Naruto wasn't much for thinking at the moment, but he could easily think of a few good reasons for that silence.

Was Sasuke even killable anymore?

How would they control him?

Could he come back from this if they couldn't?

Naruto had set out to help with such determination, feeling almost stupid for that now. This was all a lot grimmer than he had thought...

But...

He couldn't give up on his teammate. He would never forget those first profound words of a teacher that Kakashi sensei had first spoken to them.

Those who abandon their friends...are worse than scum.

The tawny werewolf got on his feet, moving past a few more wolves to pick the unconscious Sasuke up. At least now he didn't look like a monster. He just looked like he was sleeping. Naruto kept that idea as much in his mind as he could, knowing he needed to as they made their way back to the Cullen's home.


	18. My Head is Spinning as it Is

Scents...sounds...

So close. Beating hearts, unbeating hearts... Wet breath that held a lingering of fear, shock...anxiety. Footsteps on slippery grass.

Sasuke sensed all of these things, but where were the voices? Why was all so quiet? All of these sentient creatures. Each scent was familiar...but the names weren't clear. Muffled, like faint whispers in the rain.

Suspended in half-consciousness, only simple thoughts could come to him. Instinct over sense. But wasn't this how it was before too? Hadn't he already lost his mind?

No. He was still here...he knew that much. But he was so...lost, yes. This new body. It came with a terrible price. Maybe it wasn't so terrible for exacting revenge...for destroying everything in his way... This body craved those things; was built for them. But—was there more he wanted than that? Even in his clearest of minds, even as a human; Sasuke still couldn't answer that question. Being a "vampire" just made the answer feel even farther away...

Why was he questioning himself now of all times? His ambitions had been so clear. Kill Itachi. The end. That was all he was meant to do. A part of him had come to assume that there would be nothing left at that end. He could exist or he could die, but it did not matter.

"Can children really grow up to have such a horrible ambition in your ninja village?"

That voice...it was the sharp-tongued vampire. The one who could read minds. However he could do that...

Sasuke did not know how to respond in thought, nor did he want to. His mind did however wander at that simple question. Children sometimes suffered horrible things...especially in the warring world of shinobi. Many did, in fact. Not all developed bloodthirsty ambitions...but Sasuke imagined that many did. Power was so attainable to shinobi after all. Pain hardened hearts. And even then...no one really had to understand. They did not know the pain, they did not have the unimaginable burden of a clan legacy on their shoulders...they didn't have a brother who did those unspeakable things...said those damning words...left his younger brother behind with nothing else...

"But you're so young...how could you possibly be so sure of yourself? Even if it's somehow righteous...I think it's reckless. There's still too much you don't know."

Right...and this guy knew everything?

"No...But I do know that killers are of no use in this world. Especially not selfish brats. Martyrs, however...change lives every day. And some have to endure terrible things to become that way, to see that option."

Sasuke mulled the words over, probably scoffing. That's what he would usually do. Such a selfish brat he was. But he could feel himself drifting way from the waking world, perceptions falling away into darkness. What did the others think of Edward talking to himself, he wondered... Where were Sakura and Naruto? Wasn't Kakashi bleeding to death around here somewhere...? Maybe talk of ambitions could wait for later...

Fate was such a fragile thing. Fates themselves might as well have been carried by neverending, tempest winds, clashing with some fates, brushing by others. Maybe they would find a calmer breeze, or maybe find an ominous gale that led to oblivion...

Sasuke's fate, he knew, had taken quite a turn... All was so uncertain, in fact...that he and his friends were among outsiders to the life they knew, strangers they should kill for what they know already. They would...if only these strangers were not the only ones who might know how to give any clarity to the situation they had found themselves in. One that seemed stagnant for now, if not hopeless... Sasuke could hear them, talking outside. Sakura kindly showed him these things.

Carlisle had made a room, with combined effort of everyone, and a steady and heavy dose of morphine, that could hold the young Uchiha monster inside. Of course it wasn't comfortable. Of course Sasuke hated every moment of it...as he'd always hated being stuck. Being told what to do. But it was home for now. If the alternative was rampaging around killing everyone... The room was simple, but genius in it's careful design. Thick walls of metal, steel being the best they could do. Ultraviolet lights above that gave constant, but necessary pain and weakness. And blood. Yes, simple blood that kept Sasuke as far from the next frenzy as possible. It was donated blood, from where, Sasuke did not know. Unfortunately, he needed a lot of it, as it wasn't fresh. It made a baffling amount of difference in potency, the freshness. It was a temporary solution...but it worked for now.

Kakashi wanted them to go back to the village, to try and find the answer there where those who could be trusted were. Have it be handled there. But the village was far, and the situation rather fragile as it was. While Carlisle performed his tests, trying to learn more...aand that remained the best they could do, things were at a sort of stalemate. Luckily, the wolves had been sent to retrieve Kelzar and apprehend the rest of the cult and the threat they posed. With them, they were all hoping better answers could be given, rather than the minute details Carlisle found by testing...

"Venom glands. Right there along the temples."

Sasuke watched unseen as Carlisle showed Sakura a makeshift diagram of what he'd learned of Sasuke's body. How it was different from the other vampires.

"-They're connected to the fangs it seems, much like a snake actually."

Sakura furrowed her brows gently. "So you have venom too? Does it not come from glands?"

"Not in the same way. Venom coats our teeth, you see...put there by our own saliva. I almost wonder if this means Sasuke would have a choice in injecting venom, being that there is such an injection system in place. It would explain Jacob's arm..."Carlisle winced slightly at the thought. Jacob had received a bite from Sasuke at the battle with the fire, one unlike any other bite he'd given until then. The "venom", so they called it, had left a nasty festering wound. Black and blue and oozing... It was healing, but slowly. Sasuke didn't know or remember if he chose to inject anything, but what Carlisle was saying made sense.

Sakura nodded knowingly, looking down at the diagram again, bringing Carlisle's attention back as well.

"All of these here...his liver, kidneys, intestines, and so forth, are all no longer functioning as far as I can tell." His finger moved across the anatomical representation of Sasuke's body, resting on where the stomach was. "And here...there are actually two stomachs, though it doesn't seem like he uses the other one. Not for digesting, anyway..." The doctor sighed gently. "I'm really no scientist to theorize much...but I suppose every small bit helps. If I knew more about how the metabolic process worked, we'd be on a better track, I think...But I wouldn't know where to begin testing such a thing."

**"It's better than nothing..."** Sasuke commented, not meaning it to come off as dryly as perhaps it did. He was unfortunately less than his usual cool when under these lights all day and all night...

"It's definitely something...you should show Kakashi-sensei. I think he's out there with the-"

The door suddenly swung open to the room Sakura and Carlisle sat in, a riled Naruto standing in the doorway. He wore a gray second-hand "T-shirt" and shorts that were far too big for him, dressed far more at home among the outsiders still, however.

"We finally got him talking! Snively-robes!" The blonde beamed triumphantly.

Snively-what? Was that supposed to be Kelzar? Naruto...

Hm...but it did paint a satisfying picture of the one who'd gotten them all into this...

"Good." Sakura sighed in telief, getting on her feet as Carlisle did. "I just hope we can get Sasuke out of there soon. It's been two days..." She added the last with clear anxiety.

"I know, I know, so let's go!" Naruto said impatiently and led the way out.


	19. Past or Foretellings?

Sakura hurried after Naruto, Carlisle staying politely behind her while they went, even though she knew he could very easily be there in an instant. The house was seemingly empty on the way there but Sakura guessed that was because everyone was watching Kelzar's interrogation. It didn't seem like there was much excitement around here usually, with the way the Cullens seemed to gather around events like this. Did these people lead boring lives? She couldn't imagine that being the case with them all being vampires, but maybe...

**"They've all been alive a really long time, right? Must get pretty dull over time."** Sasuke offered a mellow thought. He'd been much more talkative being locked up alone the past couple days but that only made sense. Sakura was far from minding it, of course.

**"Yeah, I didn't think of that. Putting it in perspective, even small things must seem really interesting, or they learn to appreciate them, anyway."** She couldn't express the comfort it was to have Sasuke only a thought away, for their minds to be so close. Sasuke was still very guarded as always, but maybe that would change. Sakura hoped it would, anyway...

Sasuke gave a small apprehensive silence, not sure what to do with Sakura's train of thought just now. Oops...

Before she could formulate any sort of apology or—anything really, the sitting room came into view up ahead. Furniture had been moved to make room as Kelzar sat tied to a sturdy-looking oak chair, a pillowcase over his head to obscure his vision. His head was down rather dejectedly, showing just how long this interrogation had been going on by now. It didn't seem like they'd roughed him up or anything. Sakura was thankful for that, even if Kelzar had started all of this...

Alice, and Edward stood in front of Kelzar, seeming to be the ones questioning him. The rest of the Cullens stood by along with a few wolves, assumingly. In human form, Sakura wasn't sure if she'd seen them before now. Jacob was there too but he sat on one of the couches, looking tired as he held a bandaged arm. Kakashi was beside him looking very similar with his bandaged neck. Sakura winced at a pang of guilt from Sasuke.

Kelzar sighed in heavy annoyance, Alice smirking victoriously while she stood by Edward. Alice appeared almost like a pleased cat watching a wiggling mouse. Edward looked more focused and serious, but thankfully more relaxed than usual.

"Everyone here then? We'd hate anyone to miss out, of course..." Kelzar said with a bitter tone. It was actually quite sassy for a grim cult leader.

"Yep! Now talk, sourpuss. What's with these Sandaran vampires, or whatever?" Naruto happily chimed in.

" _Syndorian_ vampires, whelp...You know not what you insult, mispronouncing such a hallowed name..."

"Mhm."

Kelzar sighed heavily again at Naruto's clear indifference to the words. He paused a moment, everyone listening attentively now.

"Syndor...was the first. Hence, the name. You won't find that name in any published document anymore, considering the great lengths those of us loyalists who remain have gone to to erase them. But the legend appears in other ways. The name Dracula was given to Syndor in some. Talk of fanged demons who feed on blood, Strigoi vampires of Romanian legend, and many others that have come to be confused with what you all are... Lesser vampires..." He spoke the last part with a hint of antagonistic pride.

"Why did you try to erase them from legend? Or why have you been trying to, that is?" Edward immediately questioned, seeming to ignore the cultist's attempt to get to all of them.

"When Syndor fell many-hundred years ago...he left a means of reviving himself and his kind. Though powerful, undoubtedly, Syndorian vampires were wiped out slowly over time by the efforts of Children of the Moon, and like-minded humans who sought to eradicate them. In the end, Syndor was not able to unite his scattered forces to fight the threats. In their final century, he was the only one left... It is not known now, what happened. But-" Kelzar chuckled. "Cleverly, he did leave behind a bloodline, along with a bottle of very particular blood which would activate the bearer of the bloodline, should Syndor's followers succeed in finding it. It has taken all this time...but we've finally achieved it. Who knows how thin the blood must have spread, but even the tiniest drop is all it took..."

"So it was the Uchiha all this time...?" Kakashi spoke very quietly.

"Only one bloodline amongst them but yes, whatever...We've tried to eliminate legends of Syndorian vampires in order to protect them when they finally were resurrected. To leave their strengths and weaknesses in obscurity...to sabotage this world for the coming of Syndor. It is said that Syndor was created...for the destruction of this world after all." Kelzar spoke with malice.

"And you idiots want that?" Jacob snorted to break the tension.

Sasuke was silent where he was, Sakura much the same as she listened, not sure what to think of such dark things being told.

"Of course...this world lacks so much after all. A conquerer, most of all. Syndorian vampires were meant to be the master of races, of all the species in this world. Demons in physical form, delivered to give humanity what it deserves..." Kelzar said snappily. "You Lessers and werewolves and whatever the hell you all are—" He gestured with his head in Jacob's direction. "-Have gotten much too comfortable sitting on top of things, so superior...You have no idea."

Edward stared coldly at the man, clearly not liking what he was hearing, and hearing inside the man's head too.

Alice sighed gently, still smiling. "Welp...no matter all that, your little cult isn't getting what it wants now. You're all apprehended and not going anywhere, so plans are ruined, right? What were you planning to do with the kid anyway?"

Emmett laughed approvingly at Alice's teasing tone. Everyone else was staying quite too, even Carlisle to Sakura's surprise.

"I assume it has to do with those venom glands of his? Can they be used to make other Syndorian vampires? Similar to how our condition his spread?" He asked suddenly. Nevermind.

Kelzar laughed. "So smart, aren't you? Yes, they certainly can, but that was only the beginning of our plan. I can't very well hide it now with your friend's annoying mind-reading abilities, but with the right ritual...something far more interesting can be done with the fledgling's blood. What Syndor always intended. We planned on seeking it, as our current texts do not reveal what the ritual is. A clear error of past followers." He shrugged. "I suppose the only real option to prevent this, is to kill the boy. But would you kill an innocent child plagued by an ancient curse...or leave the risk...?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Kelzar.

"Now you know how to do it-"

"What's the cure?" Edward suddenly cut him off, looking suddenly surprised by what he was hearing. From the cultist's head?

Kelzar went quiet.


	20. No Rest for the Wicked

No one was prepared for that sudden question, only Edward had any idea such information was even being withheld. That it was even a possibility at all! Even Sasuke was in shock, something between hope and uncertainty. Sakura looked around; a quick glance at each face in the room. Most were calm, perhaps surprised, but Naruto and Edward looked bewildered, almost mirroring each other unconsciously. Naruto with his high energy had been suddenly muted at the news, mind working backwards likely at that real possibility of all of this being solved. Mostly anyway! Kelzar scowled in complete defeat now, hopefully rethinking all of his foolish life decisions up to now including serving a long-dead vampire king… But could it really be that easy?

"Sunlight? Is that really it!?" Edward asked incredulously almost smiling at the news. He furrowed his brows slightly in concern after that, nodding. "Direct sunlight on the heart until the change is reversed." On the heart!? Well that was still doable right? Optimistic thoughts filled Sakura's mind while Sasuke's were less enthused about the idea even if it meant the end of all this… The sun had really hurt him that much before.

**"Right on the heart?"**

Right on the heart! Then they could go home! Sakura tried to encourage him but it only did so much.

"I suppose that would be the greatest way in which our two species differ, then...Carlisle speculated. A cure…." He seemed in awe of the idea but stood up, smiling gently. "Let's figure this out then, we'll need proper restraints, a makeshift sunroof perhaps, scalpel-" He walked off, still naming off things they would need. Emmett and a few others bounded after him, the room buzzing with energy. Not every day a vampire gets cured, Sakura guessed easily. Naruto cheered and hit Sakura on the back in excitement before running off as well. Sakura had the wind knocked out of her but recovered, trying to mentally check on Sasuke again. He felt relief as well but also anxiety. Understandable. It was such wonderful news that they would be going home, however… Kakashi sighed heavily in relief behind Sakura as if thinking the same.  
"I don't know how I'm going to explain this one." He said with false exasperation.

It had to have been less than thirty minutes later before the rushing around seemed to slow and the superhuman tenants of the Cullen home, Naruto and a few wolves included stopped bustling around. Preparations were complete. Sakura and the injured didn't need to lift a finger. Sakura swore she heard the sounds of the sunroof being put in above Sasuke's "room" but it was just so fast! An odd quiet feeling fel over the house and Naruto soon popped up around a corner, rushing to lead Sakura away toward Sasuke's room. "Come on, come on!"

Sakura had waited those thirty minutes anxiously but she swore now that it had flown by as she followed Naruto down the hall and around several corners to the mostly empty room Carlisle had set up as a lab of sorts for his tests. Many stood around waiting. Rosalie, Jasper, some shirtless teenage wolves, Esme, Bella—and Sakura didn't see the rest as the faces rushed past with Naruto's insistent tugging. Just beyond the next door was the special room where Sasuke waited, his anxiety over the whole matter at it's peak now, the instinctual fear he had of that dreaded ball of fire in the sky clouding his reasoning. Sasuke blinked at the bright lights in the room once they entered, Naruto letting her go but staying close. Carlisle, Edward, Emmett, Alice, and Jacob(wolf form) waited in a half-circle around Sasuke who was strapped to the floor with thick steel restraints including a sort of muzzle that looked less for protecting them from his bite but more for protecting them from his screams soon to come… it probably wasn't good if someone outside should overhear, Sakura supposed. A small make-shift IV was also there on wheels, pumping morphine likely. Sasuke seemed unaffected by it but it was proven to help keep him from moving around too much. Just above was the sunroof, closed for now. Carlisle nodded to Naruto and stepped forward, looking up once again as Kakashi came in, walking on crutches for the second time Team 7 had seen unfortunately… He looked on quietly, gray brows furrowed in slight worry at the sight. Sasuke's dark eyes tracked Carlisle's movements, especially that scalpel in his hand as he approached, kneeling down in front of the young ninja.

"Ready...?"

Sasuke paused, looking away as he closed his eyes. He nodded once. Sakura could feel him take a deep breath through their connection, tensing up her own muscles as if preparing too. The scalpel cut smoothly through pale flesh dark red trailing forth from the wound. Sasuke winced but he could barely feel it, clenching his teeth in dread as the sunroof above began to open, courtesy of Edward. Carlisle moved a few organs out of the way, despite the indestructible cage of ribs in Sasuke's chest, working quickly as the rays of sunlight began to shine upon them. Glittering light shimmered across the doctor's skin, leading into a muffled scream from Sasuke, almost instantly becoming one of those terrible screeches. He writhed violently, Emmett and Edward stepping in to help hold him down too. Naruto was there before any of them, a look of pain on his face that probably wasn't his own. Sakura could no longer see anymore but she knew well what was happening, getting all sots of feedback through her mental connection with Sasuke, the sheer agony and panic. All she could do was bear it with him, repeating over and over in his head that she was here for him.

It seemed like an eternity before Sasuke's screams became more human, a startled shout coming from Carlisle as a heart beat back to life beneath his hands. It was expected of course, but maybe the idea still shocked him. Sakura was holding her breath, tears stinging her eyes by now. Sakura felt Sasuke's delirium, the shiver that went down his spine as his fangs retracted back into his head with a grinding of bone. His body began to relax as the sun hurt less and less. It was so close to over, so close that Alice cheered.

But she cheered prematurely.

Like a nightmare Sakura had had before, a repeating one that contained horrible memories of Team 7's time in the forest of death, a chilling aura filled the room followed by a new drawn out scream from Sasuke, still being held down. Pitch black markings resembling bursts of flame crept across his skin, blazing burning orange as they spread further across his body. The curse mark!? Why now!? Even with the sun still shining above on his wide-open chest cavity, Sasuke suddenly screeched again, inhuman strength launching into his limbs again and sharp fangs overtaking his canines. The hissing of sunlight on vampire skin returned, filling the room. He was changing back! The curse mark was changing him back!

Naruto shouted something but Sakura didn't hear it, rushing forward before a sudden gloved hand stopped her. Kakashi held her back, pushing past her suddenly to rush to Sasuke's side. Was he going to help? Did he know enough about the curse to help? All Sakura could think as chaos returned full-force was-

-Why isn't the world giving us a break already!?


	21. Chapter 21: Stumbling Into Insanity

Sasuke wasn't entirely sure what was happening anymore. Maybe he was dying, or maybe he was “dying”, as in becoming clinically dead once more. All he knew at this moment was he was still in pain, it was getting worse, and something was wrong in his chakra. It seemed such a strange thing to think but his chakra seemed to be wildly out of control, flaring up in large bursts before fizzling again as if it was struggling. Never had he felt so aware of his body's energies. He could hear so many voices, feel the screams tearing out of his throat. Somehow he knew they weren't screams anymore. Amidst all of his overflowing senses he was able to see a face, half-obscured in the hellish light all around him. A visage shrouded mostly in darkness, a mask, only one eye showing through, staring down at him, something between determination and terror. Kakashi. Sasuke shut his eyes tight again, sensitive eyes unable to take much more but he tried as much as he could to focus on that one thing he could sense in the chaos. He knew Sakura was here too but her voice was being drowned out somehow, or maybe her thoughts were shying away. Somehow this thought scared him as he writhed in pain. Kakashi was still closeby, his scent very close...his hands were...what was he doing? Why did his neck hurt so badly. It was nothing compared to the searing of the sun but he still felt it, a different pain underneath. The location, Sasuke realized, was the location of the cursemark Orochimaru had given to him… It made the scent of blood that suddenly filled the air make all the more sense. The young ninja dreaded when his body began to move more violently, a dark flooding from within his mind starting to take over. It was the blood, he knew it, would Kakashi be able to finish that strange seal in time? It had to be the same one from the chunin exams. The one that had tamed the curse before.  
“Almost there.”  
Kakashi's voice pierced the veil of panic

Sasuke just wanted to kill him by now. It was sickening, the waves of need that ached through him while the scent of blood, delicious and teasing filled his lungs. The chakra within his body was starting to calm, resting at the peak it had been fighting before, the strength the cursemark tried to pour back into him. Sasuke understood now...the mark fed off of his chakra in small amounts. It had been leeching his chakra all this time, including his time spent as a vampire. It had adapted to that body, that chakra, and reacted badly to the ninja being cured. That stored chakra was, had—changed him back. Would it do this again? Was this a cycle that would repeat itself if they tried over and over again? Sasuke couldn't tell where it had come from but he was suddenly laughing at the thoughts, he knew he was, even while he screamed in agony.

This was simply fate, wasn't it? There just wasn't any escaping it...why fight it any longer then? 

He was burning in hell already, after all--

 **“--No!”**  
**“You're not!”**  
**“We're right here!”**

Sakura's voice was suddenly there, blaring in his head. Commanding, furious, terrified. Her thoughts hammered rapidly on his mind as if he were defenseless against them. Her presence was so--huge somehow, that it thwarted all else.

The white, searing lights above suddenly filled his vision, his senses returning all at once. 

Kakashi's face stared down at him, singular eye wide. In fear? Bewilderment? The sun above scorched mercilessly and would not be ignored by the young ninja still held down against his will. Still out of control. Still what this strange new world called a “vampire”. A loud grinding sound could be heard, metal on metal but Sasuke had no clue what it could be until the light above suddenly began shrinking. The hole in the roof was being closed. A surge of relief ran through him even while he still writhed under the sun's rays, his own eyes still staring at Kakashi who seemed to be done doing whatever he had done. He hadn't noticed it before with his whole body feeling as if it was on fire but as the punishing hell rays were extinguished, a sharp burning could still be felt, deep in Sasuke's throat while he leered at the human inches from him. That fact itself somehow blurred the very reality of who Kakashi was to him. Kakashi? Or just a human mere inches from his fangs? He tried to keep a hold of himself but the struggle was clear on his face, he could feel it.

“Get—get the hell away from me!” The outburst left him before he could think as he tried to kick, somehow get away as so many held him down. The muzzle he had strapped over his mouth obscured his words. Thankfully, Kakashi still got the message more than clearly, backing away from him. 

He seemed speechless still, Carlisle speaking up in the following silence that no one dared to fill. 

“I am quite lost here, but I think I might be right in inferring that there isn't a plan B to all of this?”

“There's some sort of weird ninja magic at play. A 'curse mark' they're calling it. As far as I can tell it means no matter how many times we cure him, this mark will ensure he will change back. Something worse was going to happen but Kakashi prevented it, yes?” Edward spoke up bluntly, face hard at the situation. 

Kakashi nodded, putting a hand on his face before standing up. “I sealed it, for now... The seal broke when his chakra was changed. I don't want to think what could have happened, the curse mark is an evil jutsu that is both empowering and costly to the user's psyche--”

Naruto barked suddenly, seeming outraged where he was, still helping restrain Sasuke. The massive clawed hands that held him down more than any of the others seemed to clench slightly. Though it wasn't the most important thing right now, Sasuke suddenly remembered that Naruto didn't yet know about the cursemark, nor had the rest of team seven really planned to tell him…

No one knew what the werewolf was saying as he continued barking away so Edward decided to translate. It sort of surprised Sasuke, as Edward seemed one to prioritize and probably didn't care much about these things that didn't have to do with the immediate danger. It was...courteous, honestly.

“--Where did this come from? When did any of this happen? Why didn't I hear about it? So he can't change back at all? What do we do? What else don't I know?” The vampire's translation was rather flat but one could easily see how worked up Naruto was getting, almost snarling in between each question. The sound itself was rather frightening but Sasuke could hear the Naruto underneath, merely scared and outraged, frustrated like the rest of them.  
“Why is this happening? Why can't we just go home?” Finally, the words that all of the wayward ninjas had also held in their hearts since this all had began... 

Kakashi furrowed his brow deeply, looking down slightly as tears came to Naruto's eyes. When Sasuke looked around for Sakura, he spied her some distance away, clutching her hands in front of her, pressed worriedly to her chest...holding that locket? She didn't meet his gaze, looking down too as she merely listened to the outpouring of emotion. Her heartbeat was quickened and stressed, as were the other heartbeats in the room. It made Sasuke dizzy and hungry, almost enough that he didn't feel it too...the hopelessness starting to leak into the room. 

Naruto pulled away suddenly, shaking mad as he turned away from everyone. Sasuke let out a grunt when Emmett quickly replaced the pressure, not forgetting for a moment that they were holding him down. 

Sakura gasped quietly and looked up, jewel-green eyes fixed on Naruto. Kakashi was hesitant but he stepped toward Naruto, looking even more worried than before. What was wrong?

“Naruto?” He managed out, Sakura nearly echoing him as the ninja werwolf suddenly grabbed his head in his hands as if in pain. A very real panicked expression took over Kakashi's face, his heart skipping two whole beats as a malevolent energy began choking the room around them. Naruto was growling again, in pain, or anger—it was very difficult to tell.

Edward must have read the eldest ninja's thoughts, horror crossing his own expression, disbelief.  
“He has _what_ inside of him!?”

Kakashi began forming hand signs without answering him, Sasuke just as confused as the rest. The terrible energy, chakra that almost had a personality of it's own. A bloodlust that seemed to seep into everything, both chilling and—rather exciting to Sasuke, honestly. A primal voice inside of his head purring in agreement. He felt a kinship with this force, this fact distracting him even as Naruto turned on his heel, a small blast of energy concussing outward at all around him, a few wolves sliding backward as well as Kakashi and Sakura. Kakashi landed nimbly on his feet but could not weave the hand signs he needed before Naruto lunged at him, a crimson like blood tainting his irises, pupils mere slits, brown fur suddenly stained almost orange, bristling with power. 

Emmett shouted a loud curse word that Sasuke didn't recognize.


	22. Chapter 22: Rivalry

**I updated the first chapter of this story a little bit for those who might be following the story if you want to go back and reread. Just thought the first chapter seemed a little weak compared to later chapters. Anyway, enjoy! Got another halfway done already.  
-Sable**

As if things weren't on the verge of falling apart already…

Kakashi couldn't have felt a deeper despair than to feel that chakra again, the dark, destructive chakra who's wielder had nearly decimated the entire Hidden Leaf village little over a decade ago. It choked the air of the room, choked off all good feelings that might have dared to exist in it's presence. The Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra… This had happened before on the bridge in the Land of Waves, what seemed so long ago for Team 7. It took a lot, but Naruto's emotions could weaken the seal's power, as feelings of anger brought him closer to the fox itself… Kakashi hadn't seen it in person but he still guessed that Naruto being a werewolf probably made the whole matter much, much worse!

If someone had asked him a few days ago if he had quick reflexes, the seasoned Jonin would have probably said yes, even for a ninja. But now, as his former student, now a raging mass of chakra and unbridled anger launched toward him before he could entirely register what was happening, he felt slow...horribly, horribly slow. His apparently frail human mind could not keep up with these events, one after the other. He'd begun the hand signs to stop the fox's growing chakra with the five-pronged seal but he hadn't thought ahead! Luckily there were those who anticipated the sudden attack, several blurs ramming into the glowing, snarling Naruto. Another suffocating blast of energy later, Kakashi felt himself hit the wall, cracks like small rivers forming behind him. His ears rang, injured neck screaming. Glass shattered somewhere, shouting, barking, black specks flashed in his eyes. He could see across the room where some of those gathered, wolves and vampires still kneeled beside Sasuke, holding him down while the rest tried to reign in the out-of-control demon werewolf. The earthshaking blows that Kakashi could feel shoot through his body told him that it wasn't doing much good. More panicked shouting, speaking so quickly that it was--unintelligible. A drawn-out canine scream from one of the giant wolves. Blood spattering all over the floor before a huge dark body thumped limply against the other wall… Red chakra and claws slicing through other bodies like scythes. All Kakashi could do was try to absorb it all as it passed so quickly, eye wide, mouth slightly gaping under his mask. His gaze drifted, as if in slow motion to Sasuke again. The young vampire was struggling, saying something to the others. It bothered Kakashi somehow, how transfixed his eyes were on Naruto… He was speaking but those slitted eyes said where his attention really was; human ears couldn't make out what Edward said in reply though Kakashi was still able to pick out the voice. Anger crossed the young ninja's expression at what he'd said. There was something about the expression, those battle-hungry eyes still focused deeply on the carnage that gave the jonin a sinking feeling.

“ALICE, NO!”--  
A sudden desperate shriek; Bella, wasn't it? Finally able to think, Kakashi activated his sharingan, scanning what he could of the situation. At the very least, he was able to make out the blurs of movement as all of these non-humans seemed to move at impossible speeds. The vampire called Alice was in Naruto's grip, one leg missing already as she struggled, eyes wide in fear and disbelief as the dreaded nine-tails cloak began to bubble out of the werewolf, red as blood and glowing dimly, lifting away from him like a shield, half-formed to his shape and half formed to another… Those long tufted ears and even longer fox tail gave Kakashi chills, even when it was only the shape of the chakra. He noticed there weren't as many wolves now, some of them standing at a distance, stunned to silence while only a few still fought on. The two limp wolf bodies still on the floor explained this behavior… Kakashi could only imagine that they were now dead. Their friends, or 'pack' had not been prepared for this possibility. Only the Cullens and three wolves were in the fray. Jacob, a sand-colored wolf, and a black one. Edward, Bella, and the one called Rosalie were holding Sasuke down and the rest battled Naruto, the crazed werewolf batting them away and slashing through them where no blood would leave the wounds, quite unlike the giant wolves who did not seem to stand a chance anymore. Alice was still in a vicious grip, trying with both hands to wrench herself free but to no avail. Even though he probably wasn't full size, considering his age, Naruto towered, intimidating muscles putting him a step above all of them now that he had the nine-tailed fox's power coursing through him as well. Bella tried to stand, to jump in too but Edward caught her by the arm, face serious and pleading. Even with his mind likely working faster than Kakashi could ever keep up with, the conflict was clear on the vampire's face. Holding Sasuke downw as a priority, as he endangered lives, but Naruto had taken two lives and was only going to take more at this rate. Sasuke struggled again beneath Edward, Bella, and Rosalie, frustrated with the situation, it appeared. He spoke again and Kakashi imagined him arguing that he was not out of control and was therefore not a priority. Edward hissed something back at him and the ninja vampire did something most unexpected…

He _**screeched**_. 

The sound was like knives in the ears, trembling through one's bones. It wasn't directed at Edward, but at Naruto, the young Uchiha's eyes still fixed on the wild werewolf. 

There was a silence, perhaps one so small that Kakashi had imagined it...and Naruto turned his head, crimson eyes wide with that manic fury that the fox had always worn in it's expression, black gums and savage teeth. Miraculously, his focus shifted so entirely that his grip on Alice loosened completely and she broke away, maneuvering how she could to get some distance with only one leg. She did fairly well, considering that she was crippled only just now. No one understood why the sound could have grabbed his attention so strongly, except Sasuke who actually smiled when the angry werewolf turned the rest of the way, charging forward and swatting another wolf away as it lunged to stop him. His eyes were transfixed now too…

Both Sasuke and Naruto seemed to wear the same expression, a crazed, gleeful smile that was animalistic at the same time, baring teeth and aggressive. There was something to this, a rivalry that went beyond the two boys themselves. 

Edward seemed to read it all immediately, yanking Bella and Rosalie away with a stern shout before Naruto was upon them, freeing Sasuke and escaping the wildly charging demon wolf monster, not a shred of that goofball ninja underneath. Something important was about to happen, like a gravitational shift in the world itself. 

And Kakashi could only watch…


	23. Chapter 23: Keep Helping Strangers?

**I just wanted to say that I am sorry that this story has been a bit slow in progressing; I mean seriously, 23 chapters already!? But there's plenty of good stuff to come soon, I promise!**  
Dx  
-Sable 

Edward held Bella close as he pulled his two family members away, incredulous of the fear clawing at his heart. He'd been through a lot in his immortal life so far... He'd seen monsters, fought battles; felt fear deeply, especially fear for the lives of those he loved. But he was afraid in a different way at the moment, it had been a special sort of fear that had plagued him...off and on ever since their odd “guests” had arrived.

That man, Kelzar. What he'd told of these vampires from so long ago, likely thousands of years before the first of the vampires Edward had thought to be the only ones; it seemed unbelievable, but over and over again, right before his eyes...these insane things. Now talk of fox demons in the older ninja's mind; it made Edward's head spin, shook his reality. He thought vampires, himself, the race of vampires he knew, were the strongest supernatural force of the world to be seen. The Quileute werewolves, the incredible power of the Volturi… He'd never see anything crazier than that, he'd thought, not in this world; a world that seemed to only pass by uneventfully some years. 

Untold legends of an apocalypse that had almost come, brought by creatures whose existence was proven by the thirteen-year old with fangs and power that seemed so incredible. Only a fledgeling. Face to face now with a 'Child of the Moon' only mentioned before by Caius, and now fueled by a power that Edward could not have begun to imagine. A huge orange fox with nine tails that had once existed, ravaging forests, destroying homes and lives. Twelve? Thirteen years ago? And this creature had existed long before then? 

No.  
It terrified him.

And speaking of the Volturi...they would surely find out about this somehow. The man drained of blood and the logging truck, the inhuman screeches that might have been heard for miles, someone could have heard it; even worse, seen it for what it was. Maybe someone immortal. None of the family had given it too much thought, they were only able to react to these rapid events, try to minimize the damage any way they could. The Volturi, even if they did not know about Syndorian vampires either; they'd see Sasuke as a child newborn, an abomination either way. Caius would want Naruto too… The whole situation endangered everyone all over again.

This was a terrible mess; why hadn't they turned these strangers away in the first place…? At least then, the Cullen family, one of so few covens would have been left out of it. Edward knew better than anyone that they'd seen enough chaos and threat from the Volturi, and not long ago at all. Certainly not long enough to put up with this now. At least Esme and Renesmee were at a safe distance in the cottage... 

The mournful thoughts of the wolves over their fallen comrades, the sheer chilling panic from the others, and worst of all the rampant bloodlust from the monsters in the room mixed in a dizzying black pool inside of his head. A stew of suffering, he could call it. Even Carlisle, the constant voice of reason, only looked on in horror. 

Edward looked back; just a glance to see what might have become of the scene he was dashing to leave. The two boys, now unrecognizable as innocent youths were now clashing, the only thoughts with any clarity being Sasuke's, who seemed to have some sort of desire outside of his thirst for blood to help the situation. Although it was little by now… 

Edward hadn't trusted his words of being able to help without going wild again, but Sasuke seemed confident, not in himself perhaps, but in this rivalry that seemed to be blooming between the two creatures of the night. It was on a primal level...only further proving that Syndorian vampires did in fact exist long ago. And that they: Syndorian vampires and Children of the Moon, likely had a similar relationship that the Quileute had with the vampires that existed now. Hating the smell of each other for unseen reasons, constantly fighting the urge to battle to the death to rid the world of the other. Sasuke would trust that he'd battle Naruto instead of going after the delicious humans, and in doing so buy them time.

He expressed this finally by turning tail and running, leading the wolf-demon out of the special room they had made for the curing of vampirism that had ended in failure. He had suffered only a slash in the side from Naruto, Naruto himself being completely unscathed. The strange red aura that was somehow physical seemed to act as a shield, allowing the werewolf to bulldoze through whatever he liked unhurt, including one of the half-glass walls of the house that Edward heard shatter as the two exited out on to the clearing out back. It was upsetting, but the house was a small price to pay for the safety of his family. He might have thanked Sasuke, little brat that he was...under different circumstances. 

Now what would they do with this time?

Not having to run anymore, Edward had frozen to the spot, still holding Bella who was similarly frozen, and now staring down Rosalie who stood up straighter, looking behind them with similar wordlessness. 

“No time to lose!! Stay here, Alice--do your thing, we'll be right back!” Emmett piped up suddenly, grabbing Kakashi and throwing him over one shoulder. Alice stuttered but nodded as she was short one leg and not ready for battle anymore. She closed her eyes instead, focusing on what her gift might do instead. Jasper was beside her the entire time, fiercely protective even as danger moved away from them.

_“Yeah whatever, just move it! We need to keep them away from Nessie and Esme too!”_ Jacob commanded sharply, not caring that most didn't understand as he dashed out the door.

_“But Jake--”_ Seth thought back, giving up halfway through and simply following, ears pinned back in worry and grief. The other two wolves still grieving winced as Jacob commanded again, trying to instill how bad a time this was to grieve.   
_“Move it!”_  
They couldn't refuse the alpha's command a second time and took off as well, leaving only humans and vampires in their wake. 

Sakura looked ready to follow, calmer than Edward would have expected her to be. Emmett laughed to put off tension like he always did. “So you can do some more ninja stuff to stop Naruto from freaking out, right?” He asked Kakashi as if he wasn't slung over one shoulder like a small child.

Edward always found it interesting how Emmett spoke despite his age, having no problem adjusting his patterns of speech as the years went on. Words like “stuff”, Edward just didn't touch... English was beautiful a century ago and he would preserve what he could for as long as he could. 

Kakashi was less than pleased with his treatment by Emmett, his tolerance greatly improved however with the chaos of the situation till boggling his mind. Edward could see how experienced the man was in dire and stressful situations, and yet somehow watching his students in these particular paranormal circumstances had still thrown him off significantly. “Wh—yes, but—Yes...” He gave up on any sort of arguing, simply going along. Unfortunately it seemed this human, no matter how capable, was the only one that could suppress this fox spirit. Though he had observed it through thought, jutsu was not something Edward or the others could achieve without “chakra infusion” which seemed baffling to say the least. It was probably forbidden that he knew even as much as he did. Oh well…

“Come on!” Sakura pleaded suddenly and took off out the door with Emmett right behind her. She saw more of the situation outside than any of them thanks to the mental link between her and Sasuke. Edward could hear too that the situation outside was growing more serious. Rosalie followed Emmett of course, leaving the remaining Cullens to hesitate.

Carlisle looked to Edward with a glance that was all too knowing. _We need to help. They have no one else._ He thought without hesitation. With his blond hair and ever-forgiving nature, Carlisle's only setback from being some sort of angel on earth was his damnation, if it even existed.

Their home had a hole in it. Quileute wolves were dead. They'd already tried to help. Worst of all, the danger had only increased.

“Where do we draw the line?” Edward asked quietly. “If it is not to protect Forks, I say we stay out of it...”

Bella seemed to sense their otherwise silent conversation, frowning the way that made Edward's heart hurt for displeasing her. “Edward...”

Jasper was silent, merely staring in the direction of the fighting they could not see. 

“We don't have to jump in, but we can at least help if it comes to it, right...?” Bella asked so innocently from Edward's arms. 

Damn it.

“Yes...”

She smiled almost mischievously at his doleful answer, pulling him with her as she headed for the door too. With her still as strong as she was, he almost couldn't have resisted if he' wanted to. 

Jasper simply nodded. _We'll let you know if she sees anything._ Alice was still hard at work, so focused she almost couldn't hear them. 

Carlisle followed Edward briskly and that was that. They were still going to help.

Edward only prayed that nothing else unexpected was on it's way.  
He was probably going to be disappointed...

**Author's Note:**

> This story is likely going to be going on a long time so prepare for a good plenty of chapters! This is all being re-written from an original draft (sort of) and I am having a blast doing it in the hopes someone else might enjoy this wonky story that has been dear to my heart for several years. Forgive me if the Twilight material is a little rusty but I'll be doing my very best. This story is meant to be mainly Naruto-based after all because I'm not huge on Twilight, though once upon a time I did enjoy the books for the most part. Anywho I will be updating existing chapters too every so often for errors and such, forgive me if you catch any @_@ Also, I am sorry for the slower buildup on this story, it truly does go to incredible places though as it develops, I promise!


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